Sportsdata story
Aaron Ashby has not allowed a postseason run, and the Brewers lead the World Series 2-0
Ashby's scoreless run has reached 15 2/3 innings, and only one pitcher has opened a postseason with a longer one.
The headline number
Aaron Ashby has thrown 15.2 postseason innings without allowing a run, and the Brewers are two games up in the World Series. [1] Milwaukee fans and anyone following the series against the Tampa Bay Rays have seen him pitch in eight of the team's 10 postseason games. [1]
His full line is five hits, three walks and 17 strikeouts. [1] The Brewers have won nine of those 10 games. [1]
What the data shows
Ashby's streak of consecutive scoreless innings to open the postseason reached 15 2/3, passing Gossage (1981) and Andy Hawkins (1984). [2] Only Andrew Miller, with 16 scoreless innings in 2016, began a postseason with a longer streak. [2]
The last reliever with this much sustained postseason success was Mariano Rivera in 1998 and 1999, who had 18 appearances in those two playoffs. [1] Manager Pat Murphy compared Ashby to Goose Gossage. [2]
The Brewers have allowed the first run seven times in these 10 games. [1]
Two nights in Game 1 and Game 2
In Game 1, Ashby replaced Abner Uribe with one out in the seventh inning of a 2-1 game, which the Brewers eventually won 3-2. [1] In World Series Game 2, he earned a five-out save, one night after recording five additional outs in Game 1. [2]
In Game 2, Ashby again replaced Uribe, this time with one out in the eighth inning and the Brewers leading 5-4. [1] In the ninth, Murphy gave the ball to Ashby rather than to closer Trevor Megill. [2]
Ashby allowed a leadoff double to Jonny DeLuca in the ninth and then retired the next three batters. [2] He threw 16 pitches, none of them fastballs. [1]
The game ended when first-base umpire James Hoye ruled that Yandy Díaz had swung on a check swing, and Díaz was called out. [2] Díaz later conceded the call after cooling down. [2]
The Brewers won Game 2 with a 5-4 comeback win, giving them a 2-0 World Series lead. [2]
The road back from surgery
Ashby had shoulder surgery in 2023. [2] He had an 8.04 ERA in his 2024 return to Triple-A. [2]
Ashby has found consistent calm and steady success in the past couple of years, armed with one of the game's best curveballs. [2] Ashby said his composure comes from breathing and praying for peace. [2]
Longtime teammate Brandon Woodruff called Ashby a stud and said Ashby had worked hard on his mental game. [2]
What it means for you
If you follow the Brewers, watch the late innings, where Ashby has pitched in eight of 10 postseason games. [1] Murphy used him for a five-out save in Game 2 and chose him over Megill in the ninth. [2]
If you follow the MVP races, Jake Bauers won the NLCS MVP honors, and Ashby is now in the early running for World Series MVP. [2]
Sources
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