Seattle Mariners rookie George Kirby and fellow right-hander Cal Quantrill of the Cleveland Guardians had remarkably similar success on the mound last month.
They’ll try to pick up where they left off when they meet in the finale of a three-game series on Sunday in Cleveland.
The Mariners won the first two games of the series and six straight overall to tighten their grip on an American League wild-card spot.
The Guardians, meanwhile, have lost four in a row and combined for one run in those losses, but still lead the AL Central by one game over the Minnesota Twins.
The Mariners will try to stay hot behind Kirby, who went 4-0 in five starts in August with a 2.15 ERA.
For his efforts, Kirby (6-3, 3.16 ERA) was named the American League Rookie of the Month on Friday.
“I thought I made a good case for myself, for sure,” Kirby said. “It’s good to get the recognition. I’m just excited to keep going, play ball in September and make a playoff run with the team.”
A big part of Kirby’s success is his determination to throw strikes.
He had 34 strikeouts and just three walks in 29 1/3 innings last month and threw 71 percent of his pitches in the strike zone.
Kirby also threw first-pitch strikes to 70 percent of the batters he faced last month, including an MLB record 24 consecutive first-pitch strikes in a 3-1 loss to the Washington Nationals on Aug. 24, the only game in August in which he did not receive a decision.
“I’m just going to keep doing that,” Kirby said of his ability to get ahead of hitters. “I’ve been doing it since college and back in high school, it’s always been in the back of my mind, just throw strikes.”
Quantrill (11-5, 3.50) went 4-0 in six starts last month with a 2.13 ERA. He not only went unbeaten in August, but he hasn’t lost at Progressive Field in his MLB career.
Quantrill is 12-0 in 39 appearances at Cleveland’s home field, including 29 starts, with a 2.81 ERA.
Quantrill has gone 31 straight home starts overall without a loss, the second-longest streak in MLB history behind Kenny Rogers, who went 38 consecutive home starts without a defeat from 1997-2000.
“I like Cleveland,” Quantrill said. “I throw some strikes and let the guys do their job.”
Quantrill heads into August on an even hotter run than Kirby, having combined to allow just one run and six hits over 13 innings in his past two outings.
Overall, he made three starts last month in which he pitched at least six innings and did not allow an run.
In his most recent outing on Tuesday against the visiting Baltimore Orioles, Quantrill allowed just one run and one hit in six innings of a 5-1 win.
He also extended his career-best winning streak to seven.
“Cal holds his end up,” Guardians manager Terry Francona said.
Quantrill believes he can stay hot if he keeps pitching the way he’s capable.
“The only danger I put myself in was by walking guys,” Quantrill said.
–Field Level Media
