Merandy Gonzalez Keeps His Scoreless Streak Going In Matinee Win Over Asheville

Asheville Tourists @ Columbia Fireflies

April 26, 2017

Brandon Gold @ Merandy Gonzalez

Teams	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Asheville	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	0
Columbia	0	3	1	0	0	1	0	0	X	5	10	0

W: Gonzalez (4-0, 0.00 ERA); L: Gold (1-2, 4.50 ERA)

Boxscore

The Highlights:

Pitchers

Merandy Gonzalez - 7.2 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 8 TB, 2 BB, 5 K (4 K/Sw), 1 GIDP, 10 GB: 2 FB: 4 LD: 4 PU, 29 BF

Matt Blackham - 1.1 IP, 1 BB, 2 K (1 K/Sw), 1 FB: 1 LD, 5 BF

Batters

LF - Gene Cone - 1-4, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 1 K

2B - Luis Carpio - 1-4, 1 K

SS - Michael Paez - 2-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 K

1B - Dash Winningham - 0-4, 3 K

3B - Jay Jabs - 0-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K

DH - Tim Tebow - 3-4, 2 R, 1 3B

RF - Jose Miguel Medina - 2-3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 CS

CF - Desmond Lindsay - 1-3, 1 K

C - Ali Sanchez - 0-2, 1 RBI, 1 SF, 1 GIDP

Recapish

Merandy Gonzalez’s ridiculous streak of scoreless innings to start the 2017 season was pushed to 28.1 inning Wednesday afternoon, as Merandy took a shutout into the 8^th inning for the second time in just four starts this season. The Fireflies offense also broke out of their home stand slump (just in time to go back on the road), providing Gonzalez with more than enough offensive support for his fourth straight victory.

Although his scoreless innings streak has received much of the attention, an even more impressive streak was broken at 20 innings during this start: his streak of no walks. Merandy finished with two walks and five hits allowed, both season highs, but he was able to escape every threat before Asheville could break through.

Michael Paez got the games first hit when he doubled in the 1^st, but he would be stranded at 2B in the frame.

After a perfect 1^st, Merandy first ran into trouble during the 2^nd inning. The first two Tourists reached on a single and walk, so Asheville sac bunted them into scoring position. With Jacob Bosiokovic at the plate, a pitch got away from catcher Ali Sanchez, but he was able to recover it and get it to Merandy at home in time for the second out of the frame. Then Bosiokovic went down swinging to end it.

Jay Jabs led off the Fireflies big 2^nd with a walk. Jabs went to 2B on Tim Tebow’s first hit of three hits in the game, and on to 3B when Jose Medina loaded the bases with his first of two hits in the game. Sanchez came through with a sac fly to bring home the ‘game winning’ run, and Gene Cone followed with a two run double for some insurance runs.

Tourists catcher Robbie Perkins tripled off of Merandy in the 3^rd inning, but Gonzalez escaped the frame thanks to an unusual 3-2 double play.

Paez led off the 3^rd inning with his second blast of the season. Tebow added his second hit of the game in the frame too.

Merandy worked around a leadoff single in the 4^th inning, adding a strikeout of Vince Fernandez along the way.

Desmond Lindsay picked up his hit leading off the 4^th, but Ali Sanchez cut short any chance of a rally when he grounded into a double play.

The Tourists last real threat came in the 5^th inning, and much of it was Merandy’s own doing. After allowing a double to Bosiokovic, Merandy struck out Max George for the second out of the frame. Unfortunately, he would hit the next two batters to load the bases, but then he escaped the jam by inducing a pop out from Jose Gomez. After hitting the first batter, he got ahead 1-2 on the next, but couldn’t put the batter away, and then a pitch got away from him for a second HBP.

Tebow picked up his first triple as a pro with one out in the 6^th inning and Medina singled him home to make it a 5-0 game.

Willie Abreu led off the 7^th with the fifth Asheville hit of the game but never made it beyond first base. Merandy struck out the next two batters before inducing a groundout to end the frame.

With some pitches to spare, Manager Jose Leger sent Merandy out for the 8^th, which looked like a bad idea when the first batter drew a walk. But Merandy thrived from the stretch all day Wednesday, and he got a double play grounder from Gomez to erase that base runner before being relieved.

Matt Blackham finished off the 8^th and worked around a 9^th to complete the shutout. Blackham would strikeout the final two batters of the game: Abreu and Bosiokovic.

Merandy Gonzalez is not going to keep a perfect ERA going throughout 2017, but it will be fun while it lasts. Like teammate Jordan Humphreys, Merandy may not be long for the SAL this season, and he’s definitely someone to keep an eye on as he advances through the system. The Fireflies announcers said that a rival NL scout told them Merandy has MLB starter upside and put a #3 starter label on him, and it’s always good to hear other teams like your prospects.

Luis Carpio had a rough home stand, so perhaps his bat can get hot on the road. Gene Cone, Michael Paez, and Tim Tebow have been heating up lately, but the Fireflies need some other bats to get going so they can give their great pitching some run support.

With this series and the home stand in their rearview mirror, the Fireflies are off to Hickory, NC to start a four game series with the Crawdads. The games won’t be available on MiLB.tv this weekend, but Columbia will be back at home and on the air next week, so stay tuned for more recaps then.

Pitcher Coverage

Table 1 – Merandy pitch stats* by inning

	1^st	2^nd	3^rd	4^th	5^th	6^th	7^th	8^th	Total
Total	8	17	9	9	23	10	12	12	100
Strikes	6	11	8	8	16	6	10	6	71
Swinging**	1	1	2	1	2	2	2	0	11

*Pitch stats are unofficial since MiLB Gameday is unavailable

**11% Swinging strike rate

Comparing Merandy's mechanics in the second and eighth innings.

Pitch info provided by watching the game on MiLB.tv since MiLB Gameday is unavailable

1^st inning

1) Manuel Melendez flied out to Medina (9/F)

i. In play

2) Jose Gomez popped out to Dash (3/P)

i. Ball – 1-0, outside

ii. Swinging strike – 1-1

iii. Foul – 1-2

iv. In play

3) Vince Fernandez hit a groundout to Dash (31/G)

i. Called strike – 0-1, inside corner + above the belt

ii. Ball – 1-1, ran outside

iii. In play

2^nd inning

1) Colton Welker singled through the left side (S7/G)

i. Called strike – 0-1, inside corner + above the belt

ii. In play, pitch was also up

2) Tyler Nevin walked (BB)

i. Ball – 1-0, bounced outside

ii. Called strike – 1-1, right down Broadway

iii. Foul – 1-2, outer half + waist high

iv. Ball – 2-2, low + outer half

v. Foul – 2-2

vi. Ball – 3-2, outer half at the knees

vii. Foul – 3-2, outer half

viii. Foul – 3-2, outer half + waist high

ix. Ball 4, low

3) Willie Abreu hit a sac bunt to advance both runners (SAC14/G)

i. Ball – 1-0, bounced over the middle

ii. In play

*With Jacob Bosiokovic batting, Welker thrown out at home after a pitch got away (see below)

4) Jacob Bosiokovic struck out swinging (K/Sw)

i. Called strike – 0-1

ii. Ball – 1-1

iii. Called strike – 1-2

iv. Swinging strike 3

3^rd inning

1) Max George hit a groundout to Jabs (53/G)

i. Called strike – 0-1

ii. In play, outside corner + belt high

2) Robbie Perkins lined a triple to CF (T8/L)

i. Called strike – 0-1, right down Broadway

ii. Swinging strike – 0-2

iii. Ball – 1-2

iv. In play

3) Melendez hit a grounder to Dash that started an unusual double play (32/G)

i. Swinging strike – 0-1

ii. Foul – 0-2, inside corner at the letters

iii. In play

4^th inning

1) Gomez reached on a bunt single (S3/G)

i. In play

2) Fernandez struck out looking (K/Lo)

i. Foul – 0-1

ii. Swinging strike – 0-2

iii. Called strike 3

3) Welker popped out to Carpio (4/P)

i. Called strike – 0-1

ii. Ball – 1-1, same pitch but low
Pickoff attempt at 1B

iii. In play

4) Nevin flied out to Cone – crushed it (7/F)

i. Foul – 0-1, hanging curve inside

ii. In play

5^th inning

1) Abreu hit a groundout to Carpio (43/G)

i. Called strike – 0-1, Belt high on the outside corner

ii. Swinging strike – 0-2, Low + outer half

iii. Ball – 1-2, way high

iv. In play

2) Bosiokovic lined a double to CF (D8/L)

i. Called strike – 0-1, inside corner

ii. In play

3) George struck out swinging (K/Sw)

i. Ball – 1-0

ii. Foul – 1-1

iii. Called strike – 1-2

iv. Swinging strike 3

4) Perkins was hit by a pitch (HBP)

i. Ball – 1-0, High + outside

ii. HBP, Curve hit the back of his front leg

5) Melendez was hit by a pitch to load the bases (HBP)

i. Foul – 0-1, High + inner half

ii. Called strike – 0-2

iii. Ball – 1-2, inside for a Wild Pitch
*Runners advance to 2B and 3B

iv. Foul – 1-2

v. Foul – 1-2

vi. Foul – 1-2

vii. Foul – 1-2, outer half

viii. HBP

Fireflies Pitching Coach Jonathan Hurst came out for a visit

6) Gomez popped out to Carpio (4/P)

i. Called strike – 0-1

ii. Ball – 1-1, Bounced inside

iii. In play, High + tight

6^th inning

1) Fernandez popped out to Sanchez in foul territory (2/P)

i. Ball – 1-0, High + outside

ii. Swinging strike – 1-1

iii. Ball – 2-1, Outside

iv. In play

2) Welker hit a groundout to Paez (63/G)

i. Ball – 1-0, Low curve

ii. Called strike – 1-1, Inner half curve

iii. Swinging strike – 1-2

iv. Ball – 2-2, Low + outside

v. In play

3) Nevin lined out to Lindsay (8/L)

i. In play

7^th inning

1) Abreu lined a single into CF (S8/L)

i. Ball – 1-0, High

ii. Called strike – 1-1

iii. Foul – 1-2, Over the middle at the knees

iv. In play, Inner half

2) Bosiokovix struck out swinging (K/Sw)

i. Foul – 0-1

ii. Called strike – 0-2

iii. Swinging strike 3

3) George struck out swinging (K/Sw)

i. Ball – 1-0

ii. Foul – 1-1

iii. Foul – 1-2

iv. Swinging strike 3

4) Perkins hit a grounder to Paez for a force out (64/G)

i. In play

8^th inning

1) Melendez walked (BB)

i. Ball – 1-0, High + outside

ii. Foul – 1-1

iii. Ball – 2-1, Low + outside

iv. Called strike – 2-2

v. Foul – 2-2

vi. Ball – 3-2, Outside curve

vii. Ball 4, Outside curve

2) Gomez hit a grounder to Paez that started a double play (643/G)

i. Ball – 1-0, Nearly hit the batter

ii. Ball – 2-0, High + inside

iii. Foul – 2-1

iv. Foul – 2-2

v. In play

Microlensing, a technique that looks for a drop in the brightness of a star, was used to find this ‘iceball’ world: https://t.co/fGrxWaJj9v pic.twitter.com/n1SHTXCOPI
— NASA (@NASA) April 26, 2017

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