Kei Igawa Throws 6 No-Hit Innings… in Triple-A

 

From Baseball America:

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 4, Lehigh Valley 0
This was not the way the IronPigs wanted to begin their IL career. Yankees lefty Kei Igawa and three relievers (Scott Patterson, Edwar Ramirez, Jose Veras) combined to throw a one-hitter against Lehigh Valley, the Phillies’ top farm club which is relocated from Ottawa last year. Igawa chipped in six innings and allowed no hits while striking out seven and walking none. Thankfully for the Pigs, the game was on the road, and they don’t open brand-new Coca-Cola park until April 11. As to the quality of Igawa’s stuff, veteran minor slugger and free agent import Valentino Pascucci told The (Wilkes-Barre) Times-Leader:

“It was just his night. He was getting both sides of the plate, inside and out. That makes it easy to pitch.”

“I’ve seen him before in Japan. I was trying to tell the other guys about him. It’s tough when you’ve never seen a pitcher and he has a little pause in his windup.”

All that money for a great Triple-A pitcher. All jokes aside, I think Igawa will do a fine job when he comes up for a spot start here or there (oh yea, I said it). Others will be counted on to log innings in order to appease the inning caps imposed upon Hughes and Kennedy (Joba’s role in the BP is like its own inherent innings cap). I’m still rooting for the guy to have some success outside of the minor leagues (and Japan).