Brad Holt is living up to his first-round pick expectations, much to the frustration of basically everyone not in a Brooklyn uniform this summer.

Holt (3-2) struck out a career-high 14 and allowed just two hits over six innings in his seventh career start to help the Brooklyn Cyclones rout the visiting Vermont Lake Monsters on Thursday, 8-1.

"Usually I don't [try for strikeouts], but there were a couple in a row and you start to realize it," said Holt, who struck out the side in each of his final three innings.

The Mets prospect walked two and hit a batter in the most dominating start of his professional career. He lowered his ERA to 1.57, fifth-best in the New York-Penn League.

"I was realizing I was getting quite a few [strikeouts], they were chasing it up," he added. "I wasn't looking for strikeouts, I was spotting it around the knees to get ahead, but if they're going to chase it, why not?"

After seven professional outings, Holt said he continues to build confidence with each successful start.

"Everything has been going along great, I feel a lot more comfortable," said Holt, who was selected along with teammates Ike Davis and Reese Havens in the first round by the Mets in June. "As long as I keep throwing well, it makes it easier going into your next start."

The 21-year-old was the 33rd overall pick in the first-round of this year's Draft out of UNC-Wilmington and has gone at least five innings in five of his seven starts for Brooklyn (17-19).

"We were mixing my offspeed in. And early in the game, I was trying stay around the knees, working the corners," he said. "I was getting swings and misses. Later in the game, my arm got more loose. They chased a couple up high, so I just kept throwing it up there to see if they'd chase it."

He induced two flyouts and two grounders in six innings, striking out 14 of the 22 batters he faced.

Holt fanned at least two batters in five of his six innings, and K'd the side in the fourth, fifth and sixth. He said he worked off his fastball, especially once the Lake Monsters proved unable to connect.

"They were missing some," he said. "They weren't catching up with it."

The righty did deal with baserunners in four of his six frames. Derek Norris was hit by a pitch and stole second in the second, but Holt's only real trouble came in the fourth when he walked Jake Dugger and allowed a two-out single to Michael Guerrero. The North Carolina native settled down and whiffed Tyler Moore to end the threat.

Close to his pitch count after six, Holt said he felt he could have continued but understood being pulled.

"Of course, you always want to finish out the game," he said. "I knew my pitch count was getting up. It happens."

The right-hander has been unbeatable in four starts in Coney Island this summer. He is 3-0 with a 0.78 ERA in his starts on the beach. He hurled five hitless innings in his home debut June 26 against the Aberdeen IronBirds, tossed five strong innings in a no-decision against Mahoning Valley Scrappers on July 6 and most recently struck out 10 over seven scoreless frames to beat State College on July 13.

"I think the only difference is you have fans cheering, so that gives you a little more adrenaline," Holt said of pitching at Keyspan Park. "It's just a coincidence I think. I'm just as comfortable on the road as when I'm here, but the fans definitely help. It gets you pumped up."

Thursday's effort was the third scoreless outing for Holt, who has held opponents to six earned runs over 34 1/3 innings.

Chris Schwinden and Wendy Rosa followed Holt out of the bullpen and each struck out a pair, giving the Cyclones a combined 18-strikeout effort.

Brooklyn staked Holt to an early lead when Jordan Abruzzo lined an RBI single and Eric Campbell followed with a three-run homer to give the Cyclones a 4-0 lead in the first.

Jose Jimenez added a two-RBI double in the third and J. R. Voyles jacked a two-run homer in the fourth.

Patrick Arnold (0-1) made his fourth start for Vermont and allowed six runs on five hits over 2 1/3 innings to suffer the loss for first-place Vermont (18-16).