MiLB Pitcher of the Day: Ramirez Dominates in Relief, as Chiefs Fall Short
Cardinal Chronicle
Minor League Pitcher of the Day
St. Louis, MO
By Ray Mileur
Ramírez Dominates in Relief, but Chiefs Come Up Short
Sometimes the best pitching performance of the night does not come from the starter.
Sometimes it comes from the man who walks in from the bullpen with the game starting to tilt the wrong direction and says, in effect, “That is enough.”
Jawilme Ramírez gave the Peoria Chiefs that kind of outing Tuesday night.
The right-hander entered in relief during Peoria’s 5-4 loss to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers and immediately helped settle the game. Ramírez faced four batters and struck out three of them, giving the Chiefs exactly the kind of swing-and-miss relief work they needed after Wisconsin had built its lead.
It was not a long outing, but it was an important one.
Peoria fell behind early, rallied with a four-run third inning, then watched Wisconsin reclaim the lead on a two-run homer in the fourth. From there, the Chiefs needed their bullpen to keep the game within reach.
Ramírez did his part.
He came in throwing strikes, missed bats and helped stop the damage. That set the tone for a Peoria bullpen that combined for 5.1 scoreless innings, giving the offense several chances to get back into the game.
The Chiefs could not cash in late, but the pitching staff gave them every opportunity.
That is what made Ramírez stand out. In a night where the Cardinals’ full-season affiliates went just 1-3, his outing was clean, efficient and valuable. He did not inherit the headline, but he earned one.
For a reliever, the job is simple in theory and difficult in practice: come in, change the inning, change the momentum and give your club a chance. Ramírez checked those boxes Tuesday night.
Three strikeouts against four batters faced will play at any level.
The final score did not go Peoria’s way, but Ramírez’s performance was one of the best pitching notes in the Cardinals’ minor league system Tuesday night. He attacked the zone, finished hitters and helped keep the Chiefs alive until the final innings.
That is why Jawilme Ramírez is the Cardinal Chronicle Minor League Pitcher of the Day.
Old School Take: A reliever does not need three innings to make an impact. Sometimes he just needs to come in, miss bats and stop the bleeding. Jawilme Ramírez did exactly that.
The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports & MiLB Today
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Photo Credit: Jawilme Ramírez, Peoria Chiefs | MiLB