Big League Bulldogs (entering 8/6): Holder gets 'em 1-2-3
Former Mississippi State pitcher and current New York Yankee Jonathan Holder's strong start to the 2020 season kept up on Wednesday. In the first game of a doubleheader between the Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies, Holder entered the contest in the fourth inning and recored a perfect inning of relief against three of the most feared bats in the big leagues.
Holder induced a line out to shortstop from Philadelphia's Andrew McCutchen. He then struck out Rhys Hoskins and got Bryce Harper to ground out to first. The Yankees eventually lost the game 11-7, but Holder was strong for the pinstripes. New York rebounded to win the second game of the double-dip by a score of 3-1. Holder didn't see action in that game.
Elsewhere on Wednesday, only two other former Bulldogs saw action in MLB as second baseman Adam Frazier was in the starting lineup for the Pittsburgh Pirates and right fielder Hunter Renfroe hit in the cleanup spot for the Tampa Bay Rays. Neither provided much with the bat, but Renfroe did collect three walks and scored a run in Tampa's loss. Meanwhile Frazier collected a walk and a run as the Pirates fell to the Minnesota Twins.
Here are all the details from Wednesday's action for former MSU stars in the big leagues, along with season stats for all eight active former Bulldogs in MLB:
WEDNESDAY/SEASON STATS
2B Adam Frazier (Pirates) - Lost 5-2 to Twins
- On Wednesday: 0-for-3 with a walk and a run
- Wednesday's plate appearances: Fly out to LF, Ground out to 1B, Line out to LF, Walk
- Season stats: .163 BA, .250 OBP, .506 OPS, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 3 R
RP Jonathan Holder (Yankees) - Lost 11-7 to Phillies*, Won 3-1 over Phillies (*Holder pitched in first game of the doubleheader)
- On Wednesday: 1 inning pitched, 0 hits allowed, 0 runs allowed, 0 walks allowed, 1 strikeout
- Season stats: 0-0 record, 0.00 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 3 K, 3.1 IP
RF Hunter Renfroe (Rays) - Lost 5-0 to Red Sox
- On Wednesday: 0-for-1 with 3 walks
- Wednesday's plate appearances: Walk, Walk, Strikeout, Walk
- Season stats: .184 BA, .279 OBP, .674 OPS, 2 HR, 9 RBI, 4 R
DID NOT PLAY WEDNESDAY
SP Kendall Graveman (Mariners) - Won 7-6 over Angels
- Season stats: 0-2 record, 8.31 ERA, 1.62 WHIP, 10 K, 8.2 IP
SP Dakota Hudson (Cardinals) - Game vs. Tigers postponed
- Season stats: 0-1 record, 8.31 ERA, 1.85 WHIP, 4 K, 4.1 IP
1B Mitch Moreland (Red Sox) - Won 5-0 over Rays
- Season stats: .286 BA, .286 OBP, 1.048 OPS, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 4 R
RP Chris Stratton (Pirates) - Lost 5-2 to Twins
- Season stats: 0-0 record, 3.86 ERA, 0.64 WHIP, 6 K, 4.2 IP
SP Brandon Woodruff (Brewers) - Won 1-0 over White Sox
- Season stats: 1-1 record, 2.08 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 21 K, 17.1 IP