A rookie pitcher with a seven-inning no-hitter is pulled after 93 pitches. He took the mound with a manager’s knife-like grasp of managerial baseball.
Chicago Cubs right-hander Ben Braun, 25, had his best start of his career on Monday (Sept. 29) against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, allowing no runs on seven hits with two walks and 10 strikeouts.
Brown started the game with two strikeouts and a walk to lead off the top of the first inning. After giving up a leadoff walk to Jake Bowers, Brown gave up a single to Sal Prellick. With runners on first and second, he induced Jackson Churio to ground out to shortstop to end the threat.
He continued his dominance in the sixth and seventh innings with four straight strikeouts. A solo home run by Michael Busch in the third inning gave him a 1-0 lead and raised hopes of a no-hitter, 토토사이트 but the Cubs sent Elvis Peguero to the mound to start the eighth inning.
Brown’s 93-pitch total was high, but he was in the middle of a no-hitter, so it was an unfortunate substitution. With a one-run lead, it was understandable to turn to the bullpen. Cubs manager Craig Counsell is a stickler for player management, so this shouldn’t come as a surprise.
Counsell had previously pulled Brown with one out in the fifth inning of a 5-1 win over the San Diego Padres last month.
Brown was on the verge of his first career win with 4⅔ innings of three-hit, one-run ball with five strikeouts and no walks when Counsell came to the mound with 77 pitches and took the ball from him.
Counsell is not known for his durability, having had Tommy John surgery on his elbow and suffering a latissimus dorsi injury in Triple-A last year, so he’s been a bit more careful with his management. His highest pitch count prior to this game was 89 against the New York Mets on March 3, 안전놀이터 and he’s been careful to keep it under 90 pitches.
This game was no different, as he was trying to throw a no-hitter. The first 90 pitches of the day were thrown, but 100 pitches was a stretch. The Cubs gave up a run in the ninth inning off reliever Hector Neris to tie the game at 1-1, and Brown’s victory was lost. The game went to 10 extra innings and the Cubs won 6-3.
According to local media, including MLB.com, Brown became the third Cubs pitcher since 1901 to throw a no-hitter with at least seven innings of work and 10 strikeouts in a start. He joined Carlos Zambrano on Sept. 15, 2008, and Jake Arrieta on Aug. 31, 2015.
Counsell said, “His fastball looked angry. He threw a lot of strikes, had a great fastball,” said Counsell. ”He had a bad first inning, but after that, he’s been fearless. I’m very confident. He’s always learning, and he’s adjusted to everything. We got a really good pitcher.”
Brown understood the coaching staff’s management:
“I kind of understand how it works. I trust coach Counsell. He’s awesome, he’s great. I made the best decision for my career and for the team going forward,” he said. ‘We won the game, and that’s the most important thing.’
Brown, who made his major league debut this year, is 1-1 with a 2.72 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 13 games (6 starts, 46 1/3 innings). He has a 1.06 WHIP and a 1.09 K/BB ratio. In May, 안전 토토사이트 he went 1-0 with a 1.16 ERA and 33 strikeouts in six games (3 starts, 23⅓ innings) and is on pace to establish himself as a starter. The 6-foot-5 right-hander averages 96.5 miles per hour (155.3 km/h) with a four-seam fastball, knuckle curve, and two pitches.