Pannone nearly perfect in first start
Jay allows one hit in seven innings
TORONTO One of the more impressive aspects of Thomas Pannone’s first MLB start Wednesday was he stymied the Baltimore Orioles by relying heavily on a fastball that averages 89 miles per hour.
But it was the way the lefthander delivered and used the fastball, along with his curveball and change-up, that made him so hard to hit in Toronto’s 6-0 victory, running the team’s record to 12-1 against the Orioles this year.
“His fastball plays a lot higher than 89-90, plays like 92-93,” said catcher Danny Jansen. “I think he hides it really well, then uses his change-up off that. He throws inside, pretty high spin-rate guy, too. But I think he just hides it, he commands it.
“He threw some good changeups, (too). But like I said, his (fastball) jumps on you.”
Jansen, who has caught Pannone in the minors, said he couldn’t be happier for his battery mate and friend.
“It’s amazing. It’s awesome. He earned it,” said Jansen, who went 0-for-2 with a walk Wednesday, ending his sixgame hitting streak to start his MLB career. “He’s an ultra competitor, he’s an awesome dude, he works his tail off and that shows on what he did on the field (Wednesday).”
Pannone threw 108 pitches over his seven innings of work and manager John Gibbons would have been hard-pressed to run him out for the eighth, even if his no-hitter was intact. It’s one of those decisions that managers can’t win. Do they pull the pitcher to save his arm and end the no-hit bid before the game is over? Or do they leave him out there and risk damaging the arm?
It didn’t matter Wednesday, as Pannone gave up a hit to Trey Mancini to start the seventh inning, which made Gibbons’ decision to take him out easy.
“I wasn’t saying I was rooting for him to give up a hit, but it didn’t bother me when he did,” Gibbons said with a laugh.
“(But) he did a helluva job. It was a great way to make your starting debut.”
BREAKING DOWN THE VICTORY
With home runs in four straight games, Kendrys Morales became the 15th Jays player to hit a home run in at least four consecutive games (it has happened 21 times in total). The last was Edwin Encarnacion from Sept. 28 to Oct. 3, 2015. Morales, who had a homer and single Wednesday, extended his hitting streak to seven games and is hitting .565 (13-for-23) with five homers, 10 RBIs and a 1.817 OPS over that stretch. He has the longest active home run streak in the majors ... Pannone was the 14th starter used by the Jays this season, tying the franchise record set in 2017. He also was the sixth pitcher this season to make his first MLB start, a new club high ... Devon Travis hit a three-run shot in the eighth to snap an 0-for-18 stretch and has now hit 34 home runs as a Jays second basemen to tie Orlando Hudson for third alltime behind Aaron Hill (90) and Roberto Alomar (54).