MiLB Pitcher of the Day: Jacob Odle

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

Jacob Odle gave Peoria the kind of start that changes the entire feel of a ballclub.

Odle is The Cardinal Chronicle’s Minor League Pitcher of the Day after throwing six no-hit innings in the Chiefs’ 6-0 win over the Dayton Dragons on Saturday night at Dozer Park.

Six innings.

No hits.

Eight strikeouts.

That is the line of the night.

Odle walked four, so it was not a spotless outing, but Dayton never found a hit against him. He worked through the traffic, kept the ball out of the barrel, and gave Peoria exactly what it needed after a rough stretch.

The Chiefs entered the night on a six-game losing streak. Dayton had been swinging a hot bat and had punished Peoria pitching throughout the series. The Dragons had power, momentum and confidence.

Odle shut it all down.

For six innings, he controlled the game. He did not allow Dayton to build anything through contact, and he gave the Chiefs time to find the offense they had been searching for.

Peoria finally broke through in the fourth inning when Jack Gurevitch hit a solo home run to give the Chiefs a 1-0 lead. That was all Odle needed.

The Chiefs added more support in the sixth and seventh, but the game was already being shaped by the right-hander on the mound. Odle gave Peoria length, swing-and-miss, and most importantly, stability.

After several games where Peoria had been chasing early deficits and watching innings get away, Odle gave the Chiefs a night where they could play from in front.

That matters.

The no-hit bid ended after Odle left the game, but the pitching staff finished the shutout. Jason Savacool, Nolan Sparks and Christian Worley combined to cover the final three innings, holding Dayton to one hit and keeping the Dragons off the board.

That was a complete pitching effort.

But Odle owned the headline.

Six no-hit innings against a hot offense is not just a good start. It is a statement start. It stops a losing streak. It gives a clubhouse a different feeling. It reminds a team that one strong performance can change the tone of a series.

Springfield’s staff deserves mention after holding Wichita to three hits in a 5-3 win. But there was no real debate for the top pitching honor Saturday.

Odle stood above the rest.

Six innings.

No hits.

No runs.

Eight strikeouts.

A losing streak stopped.

That earns the honor.

Old School Take

Sometimes one pitcher can walk into a bad stretch and stop it cold.

Jacob Odle did that Saturday night.

Peoria needed a win. The Chiefs needed a clean game. They needed someone to grab the baseball and change the tone.

Odle gave them six no-hit innings.

That is not just pitching well.

That is taking over.

That is why Jacob Odle is The Cardinal Chronicle Minor League Pitcher of the Day.

The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports & MiLB Today
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Photo Credit: Jacob Odle, Peoria Chiefs | MLB