Quinn Mathews Deserved Better Than a No-Decision

Cardinal Chronicle Pitcher of the Day: Quinn Mathews Deserved Better Than a No-Decision
The Cardinal Chronicle
St. Louis, MO
By Ray Mileur

There are nights when the box score tells the truth, and there are nights when it needs a witness.

Thursday night was one of those nights for Quinn Mathews.

Mathews is the Cardinal Chronicle Pitcher of the Day after turning in one of the best starts of the season for Memphis, even though the Redbirds ultimately lost 2-1 in walk-off fashion to Gwinnett.

His final line was outstanding:

7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 7 K

That is winning baseball. That is exactly what a Triple-A starter is supposed to give an organization looking for pitching depth.

Mathews worked seven scoreless innings, allowed only two hits, walked two and struck out seven. He threw 91 pitches, 55 for strikes, faced just 23 batters, and kept Gwinnett off the board all night. He gave Memphis length, command, swing-and-miss, and complete control of the game.

And somehow, he left with nothing to show for it in the win column.

That is baseball. Sometimes it is poetry. Sometimes it is a roofing nail in your boot.

Memphis carried a 1-0 lead into the ninth inning, but the bullpen could not finish it. Gwinnett scored twice in the bottom of the ninth, turning what should have been a Mathews-led win into a frustrating walk-off loss.

But the loss does not erase the start.

For Mathews, this was a statement outing. His ERA moved to 3.53, and his WHIP now sits at 1.20. More importantly, he looked like a pitcher in command of his plan. He mixed well, missed bats, limited hard contact and never allowed the game to speed up on him.

The Memphis offense did not give him much room. The Redbirds managed only five hits, with César Prieto, Leo Bernal and Bligh Madris each collecting doubles. Victor Scott II drove in the lone run. That was it.

Mathews made that one run feel like it might hold up.

That is the mark of a real starting pitching performance. He did not need a big cushion. He took a narrow lead and protected it for seven innings. He gave the club every reason to win.

The Cardinals have been searching all season for reliable pitching options, and outings like this are why Mathews remains one of the more important arms to watch in the organization. He is not just filling innings at Memphis. He is building a case.

Seven shutout innings at Triple-A is not an accident.

Mathews deserved the win Thursday night. He did not get it.

But he absolutely earned the headline.

Cardinal Chronicle Pitcher of the Day:
Quinn Mathews, LHP, Memphis Redbirds
Final Line: 7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 7 K

The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports & MiLB Today
Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.

Check out The Cardinal Chronicle for more St. Louis Cardinals coverage, daily farm reports, prospect updates and old-school baseball commentary:
www.cardinalchronicle.com

Photo Credit: Quinn Mathews, Memphis Redbirds | MiLB