The Atlanta Braves may have something cooking down in Florida, as reliever-turned-starter Philip Pfeifer carved through the opposing lineup with 17 strikeouts a few days ago, the most by a single pitcher in a 9-inning game, in Florida Fire Frogs history.
Entering his dominant state on Thursday night, the Knoxville, Tenn. native had only taken the mound as a starter 14 times in his roughly three seasons worth of games as a member of the Atlanta Braves organization. And 11 of those 14 starts have come just this season.
Facing the Palm Beach Cardinals, Pfeifer needed just 94 pitches to get through 27 Cardinals’ batters, landing 73 strikes in his 8-inning outing.