Zach Muckenhirn (Del) vs Nick Nelson (CHS) 94-95 MPH FB, CB, hard straight change, effort delivery, command issues).
Muckenhirm – Recap – (FB, CV, Ch) Works quickly. FB, 90-91 MPH gets good sink at times. Keeps ball down and will go in and out. When he misses the zone, he misses about 80% time low and in the dirt often. Changeup some fade and run and not afriad to throw them often. Curveball has good late bite at times and was able to get whiffs from lefties. Doesn’t throw it a lot against righties. Decent move to first.
2in – Middle of the plate fastball hit for double to lefty. Curveball struck out lefty. Passed ball by catcher Fajardo put the runner on 2nd. One looked runner at 2nd and he stole 3rd. Got hitter to chop changeup to 3rd base but 3b playing in too far and ball went over head for RBI 1B. Another Baltimore chop hit up the middle that 2B should have gone to 2nd. 3in – Allowed single after he missed two 2-strike fastballs in on the left handed hitter (high and outside so missed badly) and then left a 3rd fastball in the middle. Got 2nd strike out on 1-2 big curveball. 4in – Missed in middle of plate when catcher wanted him to go up the ladder but batter fouled it off. Batter eventually singled when took a nice low curveball and bounced it over the 3B for a single. Another bouncing single that got through the 1st and 3rd baseman. Better fielders might have gotten both of these hits. Lost command a bit and started bouncing fastballs in dirt for a walk to load bases. Induced a tailor made double play to second 1-1 curveball to lefty, but it took too long to develop and the runner beat it out costing him a run. Then induced a hard groundball to 2nd for a 6-4-3 DP. 5in – Walked lead off LH batter on five pitches, most in the dirt. Nice strikeout to end inning on Lefty with curveball that batter swung over.
Ryan McKenna – 1PA – Struck out looking on sinking fastball low and inside (questionable strike). 2 PA – Dropped a great 2-1 bunt down with runners on 1st and 2nd to load bases. 3PA vs LHP – Took a 2-2 curveball left in middle of plate ans served it into center for a hard groundball single.
Jake Ring – 1PA – Grounded out on a 3-2 fastball down and in. 2PA – With bases loaded and no outs, swung and miss on 1-0 fastball. Took a low strike for 0-2 (bad call) before striking out on a nice curveball that he swung though on one knee. 3PA vs LHP – Struck out on 1-2 outside slider.
Chris Clare – 1PA – Grounded out to SS on fastball. Made a poor decision to try and throw to first on hopper up middle when he should have gone to 2nd to get lead runner. 2PA – Watched low outside fastball for strikeout looking. Went to his left well, turned and fired a strike to second that was converted to a 6-4-3 DP. 3PA vs LHP – Drew a walk on a 3-1 fastball away.
Irving Ortega – 1PA – Took a 1-2 outside fastball and shot it into right filed for a single. 2PA- Struck out against LHP on backdoor curveball that he swung through.
