PITTSBURGH – Braxton Ashcraft’s transition from reliever and spot starter to full-time starter has probably gone as smoothly as manager Don Kelly could have ever imagined through a pair of starts.
After lasting a career-high six innings his last time out against Cincinnati, the 26-year-old tallied yet another personal best, striking out eight in his second outing of the season. Ashcraft tossed six innings of one-run ball Sunday afternoon in the Pirates’ 8-2 series-finale victory over Baltimore, leading Pittsburgh to its fifth consecutive victory.
Ashcraft was sharp out of the gate once again. Orioles outfielder Taylor Ward welcomed him to the game with a leadoff single, but Ward was quickly thrown out trying to steal second base. The right-hander went on to retire the next eight batters in order, including four consecutive at one point via strikeout. He needed just eight pitches to get through the third inning.
Ashcraft allowed a pair of doubles in the fourth inning, leading to a run, but struck out Samuel Basallo and got Tyler O’Neill to pop out to limit further damage. He got through the fifth and sixth innings with little issue.
Unlike his previous start in which he was handed a loss despite only allowing a pair of runs through six innings, Ashcraft was given more than enough run support. Ryan O’Hearn, who’s now reached safely in each of his first eight games this season, homered in the first inning before the Pirates struck for four more runs in the second.
After walking four in his last outing, Ashcraft flipped the script by not allowing a single free pass. He was pulled prior to the seventh inning after throwing just 87 pitches, the same number as his previous start in which he set a career high. The outing lowered his ERA to 2.25 and his WHIP to 1.00.
Ashcraft was named to Pittsburgh’s starting rotation last month after splitting time in different roles in 26 games with the big league club last season. Seven of his final nine appearances last season for the Pirates were starts. He solidified his spot in the rotation after striking out 16 batters in 13 1/3 innings while posting a 2.03 ERA in Spring Training.
It’s the first time the Pirates have won the first three home games of a season since the start of the 2017 season, and the first time in franchise history they have swept the Orioles in a three-game series.