Nick Pivetta strikes out 14 in second start with Phillies’ triple-A affliate
The Phillies pitcher, who's been at Lehigh Valley since April 17, allowed just one run and three walks.
Nick Pivetta struck out 14 batters in six innings on Sunday afternoon in his second start with triple-A Lehigh Valley since being demoted earlier in April.
Pivetta allowed one run on three hits with three walks in a 6-5 win over Buffalo, the triple-A affiliate of the Blue Jays.
He was sent to the IronPigs on April 17 after just four starts. His final start before demotion was a five-inning performance against the Mets in which he allowed three runs on seven hits and three walks. The next day, the Phillies optioned him to Lehigh Valley.
“Nick has all the ingredients to be a top-of-the-line major league starter, and everyone in this organization believes he’s going to do it,” general manager Matt Klentak said at the time. “But right now, after four tough starts, we need to get him into an environment where he can get his confidence back.”
» READ MORE: Like the Phillies pitchers before him, Nick Pivetta will bounce back from demotion
Pivetta’s rotation spot was taken by Jerad Eickhoff, who pitched seven shutout innings against Miami on Friday night and does not appear in danger of losing his spot. If Pivetta keeps pitching at triple A like he did on Sunday, he can apply some pressure to the Phillies’ starting rotation.