Indians Prospect Shao-Ching Chiang Throws No Hitter
It had been two months since Cleveland Indians prospect Shao-Ching Chiang had won a start. He broke out of that slump last night, firing a no hitter for the Lynchburg Hillcats.
The past two months had been difficult for Cleveland Indians prospect Shao-Ching Chiang. After starting out the season with an 8-2 record and a 2.70 ERA, he had lost six of his last nine outings. During that time, he typically pitched well, lasting at least six innings in all but two starts. However, the sinkerballer saw those grounders find holes, leading to hits and runs.
Due to those struggles, Chiang and pitching coach Rigo Beltran worked on several adjustments to his delivery, as well as having Chiang throw his slider more often. Ready to take the mound on Friday, Chiang saw his start pushed back due to a rainout. As it turned out, that delay did not affect him at all, as he fired a no hitter last night.
Chiang’s night had a rocky start. The first batter grounded to first baseman Sicnarf Loopstok, who threw the ball away for an error. Chiang was able to work out of the jam, as well as being able to work around a second inning walk. He ended the frame with a pickoff, and was in complete control from that point onward, with a hit batter in the fifth inning being the only other blemish.
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There was still a bit of drama in the outing. Zack Collins, one of the top catching prospects in the game, drilled a line drive. However, it ended up in the glove of shortstop Willi Castro, who had shifted to that exact spot.
The nine inning no hitter was the first for Lynchburg since June 27, 2014, when Cody Scarpetta and Benino Pruneda combined to shut down the Wilmington Blue Rocks. For a complete game nine inning no hitter, one has to go back to June 1, 1992. On that day, Tim Van Egmond fired his gem, back when Lynchburg was an affiliate of the Boston Red Sox.
While it is just one game, this continues a positive run for Chiang. Although the victories had not been there until last night, he has lowered his ERA from 4.08 to 3.67. He has returned to his inning eating ways, a solid middle of the rotation option for Lynchburg. If these adjustments continue to display results, Chiang could force his way up the ladder.
Next: Braves have reliable option in Foltynewicz
If nothing else, Shao-Ching Chiang made history for the Lynchburg Hillcats. The Cleveland Indians minor league threw the team’s first complete game no hitter since 1992, showing that he his adjustments have paid off.