With the Pirates holding a three-run lead in the sixth inning of an eventual 13-3 win over the Giants tonight at Oracle Park, BraxtonAshcraft found himself in a situation where his back was against the wall.
Runners were on the corners with one out and RafaelDevers, a left-handed power hitter, stepped to the plate with a chance to cause some damage.
Despite Devers' ability to change the complexion of a game with one swing of the bat, Ashcraft didn't approach the matchup with any fear in his mind. Instead, he embraced the opportunity to face a top-tier bat and attacked with some of his best stuff, striking him out on three straight fastballs before getting BryceEldridge to fly out and escape the jam.
"He went right after him," JoeyBart said of Ashcraft, who ended up allowing one run and striking out six over seven innings. "He put the pressure on him, got count leverage, and put him away. I think in those situations it's easy to kind of nibble the corners, but when you have stuff like Ash has, I think it's important to get it, go ahead, get count leverage, and he just did his job."
Ashcraft's ability to work his way out of danger shouldn't come as a surprise considering all that he's been able to accomplish in his first full big-league season, sporting a 2.77 ERA and 1.05 WHIP over his first eight starts.
The consistency has opened eyes. The fearless attitude he possesses on the mound has stood out, too. The latter was on full display on the final pitch of the at-bat against Devers. Two straight fastballs resulted in an 0-2 count, as Devers looked at one in the zone and chased another that landed inside. Ashcraft had count leverage and could have spotted the 0-2 pitch anywhere. Not only did he challenge Devers with a pitch in the zone, but he found another level to hit 99 mph with a fastball that typically sits around 97.
"I knew that I dialed it up a little bit and tried to put a little extra something on it," Ashcraft said. "That pitch meant a lot in the game, and when pitches mean a lot, there's a little bit more that you get out of your body."
Ashcraft wasn't wrong. That pitch meant a lot in the moment, and he wasn't afraid to let it rip and locate it in order to get a crucial out. It was quite the sequence and quite the escape for a pitcher who continues to rise to the occasion and get better with each passing start. He's not just pitching like a rising star anymore. He's seemingly ascending beyond breakout status and evolving into a legitimate top-of-the-rotation starter.
"I don't think he's scared of anybody," Bart said. "He pitches that way, his tempo is great, he throws a lot of strikes, and I think in that situation he knew the game plan and it worked. He's got a special arm."
THE ASYLUM
With his back against the wall, Ashcraft rises up
With the Pirates holding a three-run lead in the sixth inning of an eventual 13-3 win over the Giants tonight at Oracle Park, Braxton Ashcraft found himself in a situation where his back was against the wall.
Runners were on the corners with one out and Rafael Devers, a left-handed power hitter, stepped to the plate with a chance to cause some damage.
Despite Devers' ability to change the complexion of a game with one swing of the bat, Ashcraft didn't approach the matchup with any fear in his mind. Instead, he embraced the opportunity to face a top-tier bat and attacked with some of his best stuff, striking him out on three straight fastballs before getting Bryce Eldridge to fly out and escape the jam.
"He went right after him," Joey Bart said of Ashcraft, who ended up allowing one run and striking out six over seven innings. "He put the pressure on him, got count leverage, and put him away. I think in those situations it's easy to kind of nibble the corners, but when you have stuff like Ash has, I think it's important to get it, go ahead, get count leverage, and he just did his job."
Ashcraft's ability to work his way out of danger shouldn't come as a surprise considering all that he's been able to accomplish in his first full big-league season, sporting a 2.77 ERA and 1.05 WHIP over his first eight starts.
The consistency has opened eyes. The fearless attitude he possesses on the mound has stood out, too. The latter was on full display on the final pitch of the at-bat against Devers. Two straight fastballs resulted in an 0-2 count, as Devers looked at one in the zone and chased another that landed inside. Ashcraft had count leverage and could have spotted the 0-2 pitch anywhere. Not only did he challenge Devers with a pitch in the zone, but he found another level to hit 99 mph with a fastball that typically sits around 97.
"I knew that I dialed it up a little bit and tried to put a little extra something on it," Ashcraft said. "That pitch meant a lot in the game, and when pitches mean a lot, there's a little bit more that you get out of your body."
Ashcraft wasn't wrong. That pitch meant a lot in the moment, and he wasn't afraid to let it rip and locate it in order to get a crucial out. It was quite the sequence and quite the escape for a pitcher who continues to rise to the occasion and get better with each passing start. He's not just pitching like a rising star anymore. He's seemingly ascending beyond breakout status and evolving into a legitimate top-of-the-rotation starter.
"I don't think he's scared of anybody," Bart said. "He pitches that way, his tempo is great, he throws a lot of strikes, and I think in that situation he knew the game plan and it worked. He's got a special arm."
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