MiLB Pitcher of the Day: Brian Holiday

The Cardinal Chronicle
Minor League Pitcher of the Day: Brian Holiday
St. Louis, MO
By Ray Mileur

Brian Holiday did everything Palm Beach needed from a starting pitcher Friday night.

The final score did not cooperate.

Holiday is The Cardinal Chronicle’s Minor League Pitcher of the Day after throwing five scoreless innings in Palm Beach’s 2-1 loss to the St. Lucie Mets at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.

The right-hander allowed just one hit and struck out four, giving the Cardinals a clean, efficient start and every chance to win the game. For five innings, Holiday controlled the night. He kept traffic to a minimum, stayed out of major trouble, and handed the game over with Palm Beach still in position to finish the job.

That is a starter doing his part.

The Cardinals eventually took a 1-0 lead in the seventh inning on Brayden Smith’s RBI single, but St. Lucie answered in the eighth with a two-run double from Jackson Hauge, turning Holiday’s strong start into a no-decision and Palm Beach’s lead into a one-run loss.

That should not take away from the outing.

At the minor league level, development matters more than the win-loss column attached to a pitcher’s name. Holiday gave Palm Beach five shutout innings and allowed only one hit. That is the kind of start you build from, especially for a pitcher working to establish consistency and earn more responsibility.

Palm Beach has had a strange week offensively. The Cardinals were no-hit, then scored 17 runs, then were shut out, then lost a tight one despite getting excellent starting pitching. That makes Holiday’s outing stand out even more. On a night when the offense struggled to cash in opportunities, he gave the club exactly what it needed from the mound.

He deserved a better finish.

Leonel Sequera deserves strong mention after striking out seven and helping Peoria beat first-place South Bend. Jason Savacool also deserves mention for escaping a bases-loaded jam and earning the win for the Chiefs. Hancel Rincón gave Memphis 2.1 scoreless innings in relief during the Redbirds’ win over Norfolk.

But Holiday’s five scoreless innings and one-hit effort were the best starting line of the night.

Old School Take

A pitcher cannot swing the bats for his club.

Brian Holiday gave Palm Beach five scoreless innings, allowed one hit, and kept the Cardinals in position to win. That is all you can ask from a starter.

The box score says Palm Beach lost.

The pitching line says Holiday did his job.

The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports & MiLB Today
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