How many former Clemson Tigers pitchers can lay claim to having struck out Major League Baseball star Shohei Ohtani?
Aside from Atlanta Braves ace Spencer Strider, we’re not entirely sure.
Nevertheless, former Tigers standout Carson Spiers threw 3 1/3 innings of solid relief in the Cincinnati Reds’ 4-1 victory over the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers at Great American Ball Park on Sunday.
Spiers struck out three batters without allowing a walk. One of those strikeout victims was Ohtani (Mookie Betts was another).
2024年5月27日 LAD vs. CIN 第7戦
大谷翔平 第3打席 空振り三振
vs.Carson Spiers
1 Changeup Ball
2 4-Seam Fastball Ball
3 Sinker Foul
4 Sinker Called Strike
5 Sweeper Foul Tip pic.twitter.com/ks3pvMQgG7— Ozzy_Days (@Jiji_Days) May 26, 2024
Spiers’ efforts helped the Reds finish off a three-game sweep of the Dodgers.
Sunday marked Spiers’ fourth relief appearance this season. In 13 2/3 innings, the 26-year-old right-hander has a 3.29 ERA with eight strikeouts and three walks.
Spiers made his major league debut with the Reds in 2023 and pitched in four games, including two starts. He finished 0-1 with a 6.92 ERA in 13 innings.
A South Carolina native, Spiers attended Greenville High School before joining Clemson in 2017. In four years with the Tigers, he went 7-7 with a 2.47 ERA and 19 saves in 109 1/3 innings. The Reds signed Spiers as an non-drafted free agent in 2020.
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