Sewell’s no-no lifts Cleveland in road victory
ATHENS, Tenn. — Since he was able to shuck his long johns, Camden Sewell has donned a different pitching persona.
After beginning the season 0-2 in parka-perfect weather, the Cleveland right-hander now is 2-2 and has given up a paltry three hits with 23 strikeouts in his past 14 innings.
He came within a pair of walks of a perfect game Tuesday, putting up the first no-hitter of his life in front of good defense as he and the Blue Raiders bested host McMinn County 5-0.
“Jeez Louise, you can’t ask for a better game. That’s the kid we’ve been expecting to see and the kid we know on the mound,” said Blue Raiders coach Preston Scoggins, whose pitcher worked around and through an inconsistent strike zone.
“We preach tempo and rhythm, and Camden did that. No matter what the guy back there is calling, you get back on the bump and keep throwing strikes,” Scoggins added.
Other than the two batters he walked, Sewell got no deeper than 2-0 against any other hitter — he faced 23, two more than the seven-inning minimum. He also recorded 12 strikeouts, with at least two in five of the innings.
“The guy gets it done; got it done. He comes right at you, and tonight he had command of his fastball and his off-speed stuff,” McMinn coach Matt Ray said. “I think we helped him out some. When we get a guy with a plus fastball or a plus off-speed pitch, we have talked about sitting on one or the other, but that’s not to take anything away from him.”
Sewell’s 12 strikeouts were a career high. “I don’t care as much about strikeouts as winning the game,” he said. “(McMinn) put the ball in play OK. The key for me was getting ahead in the count. If I do that and throw my junk and they hit groundballs, I’m completely fine with that.”
The Blue Raiders gave the 6-foot-3, 180-pounder some maneuvering room in the second inning.
Jake Griffin singled to right, Ezequiel Jeserum walked and, after trying to move them over with a sacrifice, Trevor Ramsey reached on an errant throw. Right-handed hitting Harbor Jefferson, batting in the nine-hole, then crossed up the Cherokees with a two-run triple to right and Ramsey added run number three.
Cleveland struck for two more — while chasing McMinn starter Carson Pope — in the fifth.
Tyler Standridge led off with his second single, stole second and advanced to third on Dylan Turner’s single. Noah Sills provided an RBI with a sacrifice fly to center. Turner, who had moved to second on a wild pitch and then stole third, scored on Jeserum’s single to left.