Pitching 5 innings of 4-hit, 3-run ball against Cleveland
“A crafty, throwback lefty.”
That’s how Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider describes Hyun-jin Ryu (36-Toronto). It means he’s crafty on the mound and manipulates hitters well.
Ryu pitched five innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits (two home runs) with five strikeouts in a no-decision against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on Sunday. He did not issue a single walk. He threw 70 pitches (49 for strikes). Using Ryu’s strong outing as a stepping stone, Toronto won 8-3 to snap a three-game losing streak. Ryu has won three straight starts since April 14 against the Chicago Cubs. He returned to the big leagues 14 months after undergoing left elbow ligament reconstruction surgery at a young age and has looked like his old self in less than a month. That’s why Schneider is surprised.
Ryu used his off-speed pitches to cook the Cleveland offense. His fastball topped out at 146 mph, but he mixed in a changeup and a big breaking curveball to keep his opponents off-balance. Two batters into the fourth inning, he struck out Andres Jimenez with a 68.1 mph (109.6 km/h) curveball, induced a foul with an 85.1 mph (137 km/h) cutter, and then induced a swinging strike with a 64.6 mph (104 km/h) curveball three pitches later. The 64.6 mph curve was more effective than his 100 mph (161 km/h) fastball.
Schneider told the Toronto Sun and other local newspapers after the game, “(Ryu’s pitch) was great, it was efficient. He had good command and I thought he was really good,” Schneider said, praising Ryu for having “great reads on his pitches and the movement of the batters and being able to control his velocity like the best pitchers in the league.” “We have good options in our bullpen,” he said of his decision to pull Ryu with the bases loaded in the top of the sixth inning after a series of fielding errors. Imo Garcia, who took the mound after Ryu, gave up a single to the first batter he faced, but retired the next three batters.메이저놀이터
“I’m satisfied that all my pitches are working well overall,” Ryu said through an interpreter, “and the most important thing is that I can do what I did today because my body is healthy.” “Since coming up from the minors, he’s been doing a great job for us offensively, defensively, and on the bases,” he said of rookie second baseman Davis Schneider, who went 3-for-3 with a home run, a walk, three RBIs, and three runs scored.
With the win, Ryu improved to 3-1 and lowered his season ERA to 2.25. A sellout crowd of 41,924 was on hand at Rogers Centre to witness the return of their ace. Toronto is now 71-59 (.546 winning percentage) and remains in the American League Wild Card race.