Triston McKenzie struck out eight Angels batters in the Cleveland Baseball Club’s 5-1 win over the visiting Los Angeles Angels.
It is Triston McKenzie’s world, we are just living in it. In his first start since flirting with perfection, McKenzie faced the Los Angeles Angels and picked up where he left off. The 24-year old right hander was simply too much for the Los Angeles lineup as he struck out eight batters over seven innings, including three swinging strikeouts of AL MVP favorite Shohei Ohtani.
Triston McKenzie, Unhittable 82mph Curveball. 🌈 pic.twitter.com/a7Gab1K5Y3
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 21, 2021
Triston McKenzie allowed just two hits in the contest, those hits coming in the 3rd and 6th innings. A leadoff walk of Jose Iglesias in the 8th led to Sticks exiting the game. Iglesias would eventually come around to score, the run being charged to McKenzie.
This was the second straight spectacular start for Triston McKenzie, an obvious good sign moving forward. While the level of competition has not necessarily been the best over the last two games (facing the Tigers in his last start), it is encouraging to see such brilliant pitching performances from someone who was borderline unusable earlier this season.
As far as the offense goes, the bulk of the damage came in the 3rd inning. It was the second time going through the order, Myles Straw and Amed Rosario would reach on back-to-back singles leading to a great opportunity for Jose Ramirez. Ramirez would step into the box and crush a first pitch hanging curveball into the bleachers in left field.
You know, bro!! 😎
3-run home run pitch for @MrLapara 🙌#OurCLE pic.twitter.com/xC1gTCd1Ih
— Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) August 21, 2021
Amed Rosario would add on in the 7th inning with a long ball of his own.
.@Amed_Rosario plays long ball! #OurCLE | @Indians pic.twitter.com/TOXRuBSXO2
— Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) August 21, 2021
Cleveland got one more run thanks to a Bradley Zimmer sacrifice fly later in the 7th.
The final two innings of the game were handled by Bryan Shaw and Emmanuel Clase. Shaw was on the mound when the Angels lone run scored and Clase struck out one in the 9th to secure the 5-1 victory.
