Pitcher of the Day: Braden Davis, Springfield Cardinals

The Cardinal Chronicle
Pitcher of the Day, Braden Davis, Springfield Cardinals
St. Louis, MO
By Ray Mileur

Braden Davis earns The Cardinal Chronicle’s Pitcher of the Day honors after delivering the best pitching line in the Cardinals’ farm system on Sunday.

Davis struck out nine batters over 5.1 scoreless innings in Springfield’s nightcap win over Wichita, giving the Cardinals exactly what they needed on a long day of baseball at Hammons Field.

Springfield had already walked off Wichita once earlier in the day after completing Saturday’s suspended game. In the second game, Davis made sure the Cardinals had a chance to do it again. He kept Wichita off the board, attacked the strike zone, and gave Springfield a dominant start before the offense came alive late.

The line speaks for itself: 5.1 scoreless innings, nine strikeouts, and no damage on the scoreboard.

For a Springfield club trying to build momentum, that kind of outing matters. Davis did not simply keep the Cardinals in the game. He gave them room to breathe and kept the night from getting away before Miguel Ugueto delivered the dramatic walk-off swing in the ninth.

The larger trend is worth noting, too. Davis has now struck out 19 batters across his last two starts, the kind of back-to-back performance that deserves attention. One good start can be a flash. Two straight starts like this begin to look like something worth following.

Matt Svanson deserves strong mention after throwing two perfect innings with four strikeouts for Memphis, and Nelfy Ynfante gave Palm Beach three shutout innings in relief. But Davis’ 5.1 scoreless innings with nine strikeouts stood above the rest.

On a day filled with late drama throughout the Cardinals’ system, Braden Davis gave Springfield the foundation it needed.

The Cardinal Chronicle Pitcher of the Day
Braden Davis, Springfield Cardinals
5.1 scoreless innings, nine strikeouts

The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports
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Photo Credit: Braden Davis, Springfield Cardinals | MLB.com