Braden Davis Delivers Dominant Start for the Springfield Cardinals

The Cardinal Chronicle
MiLB Pitcher of the Day
St. Louis, MO
By Ray Mileur

Braden Davis did everything he could to give Springfield a chance Sunday afternoon.

The left-hander earns The Cardinal Chronicle MiLB Pitcher of the Day honors after turning in one of the best pitching performances in the Cardinals’ minor league system, working 5 2/3 scoreless innings in Springfield’s 3-1 loss at Arkansas.

Davis allowed just three hits, walked none and struck out 10, overpowering the Travelers’ lineup and giving the Cardinals exactly the kind of start they needed. On a day when several pitching lines across the organization were uneven, Davis stood clearly above the rest.

There was no mystery to this one. Ten strikeouts. No walks. No earned runs. That is not just a solid start — that is a statement.

Springfield was unable to hold the lead after Davis exited, but that should not take anything away from what he did on the mound. He attacked the strike zone, missed bats and never let Arkansas build any kind of rhythm against him.

For a young pitcher, the strikeout total gets the attention, but the zero in the walk column may be just as important. Davis did not hand out free baserunners, did not pitch himself into trouble and forced Arkansas to earn everything it got.

That is old-school pitching. Get ahead. Trust your stuff. Make hitters beat you.

Davis left the game having done his part and then some. Springfield did not finish the job, but his outing belonged at the top of the report.

For that, Braden Davis is The Cardinal Chronicle MiLB Pitcher of the Day.

The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports
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