Given a 4-0 lead to work with in the top of the second inning of the series finale with the Cleveland Guardians on Sunday afternoon, Jake Irvin pounded the zone throughout a six-inning, 98-pitch, 68-strike outing in which he gave up five hits, one walk, and two earned runs.
Irvin struck out six of the 23 batters he faced, collected 11 called strikes, six with curveball, which he threw 41% of the time, up from a season-average of 32.1%, and collected 20 total called strikes, with nine on his curve.
“I feel like I’m just kind of keeping guys off-balance with it, mixing that between the heater and curveball, if I’m able to land it for strikes it’s a good weapon for me,” Irvin said of using his curveball as much as he has in recent outings.