You probably don't need to be told that Alexi Ogando was outstanding on Monday, pitching for the Texas Rangers against the Detroit Tigers. Ogando went seven innings, giving up no runs and two hits while throwing only 79 pitches. Ultimately, a blister on his right index finger did what the Tigers' bats couldn't in taking him out of the game.
↵Ogando has now pitched 13 scoreless innings in the first two starts of his career, after pitching exclusively as a reliever for Texas last season.
↵But ESPNDallas.com's Richard Durrett looked more closely at Ogando's effort versus Detroit and found some interesting tidbits:
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- Ogando got ahead on an 0-1 count to 16 of the 23 Tigers batters he faced. Those who complain when batters swing at the first pitch might also consider that falling behind in the count gives the pitcher an advantage. ↵
- He stayed ahead of Detroit's hitters throughout the game, reaching a three-ball count only twice. A Tigers batter never worked a 3-0 or 3-1 count against Ogando. And they only got ahead 2-0 twice. The man was throwing strikes. ↵
- Ogando's slider was unhittable. He threw it 28 times, 22 for strikes. The slider was also an effective out pitch for Ogando, resulting in the Tigers' going 0-for-10 in at-bats ending with that pitch. ↵
Texas pitchers have thrown 25 straight scoreless innings going back to Saturday. Can the Tigers finally break that streak Tuesday afternoon?