Lagrange earns 1st pro save with huge 2-strikeout appearance

Carlos Lagrange is looking more and more comfortable in the relief role that could get him to the big leagues sooner rather than later.

The fireballing righty earned his first professional save Thursday, shutting the door on a 6-4 win for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre over Indianapolis at Victory Field. It marked Lagrange’s second scoreless appearance out of the ‘pen this week.

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The Yankees’ No. 4 prospect and MLB Pipeline’s No. 71 overall, Lagrange needed 22 pitches to secure the final four outs of the ballgame, allowing one hit and striking out a pair. He entered with two outs in the eighth, attempting to escape a bases-loaded jam and preserve a 6-3 lead.

Lagrange’s first impression was bumpy. He issued a wild pitch that allowed the runner on third base to score, but the 23-year-old induced a weak fly ball to close the eighth.

Back on the hill for the ninth -- his fifth time working in multiple innings in six appearances as a reliever -- Lagrange worked himself into some trouble. Enmanuel Valdez hit a hard liner for a single, and Langangre hit Jhostynxon Garcia with a pitch to put two on with nobody out.

Then, Lagrange struck out Rafael Flores Jr. on three pitches, induced a flyout from Dominic Fletcher and struck out Nick Cimillo on four pitches to tie a bow on the effort.

In the process, Lagrange topped 101.5 mph on his fastball twice and reached triple digits six times. He has a 1.98 ERA and .188 batting average against, in addition to 19 strikeouts, in 13 2/3 innings of relief.