Braves pitcher Raisel Iglesias delivered an excellent relief performance against the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday, earning his 13th save of the season. The hurler from La Palma,Cuba secured his team’s 12-11 victory in an entertaining game played at Great American Ball Park, attended by 27,169 fans.
Iglesias took the mound in the bottom of the tenth inning, replacing fellow reliever Pierce Johnson, after the Braves took a 12-11 lead to open the inning. The Cuban-born pitcher showed true grit despite starting his outing with a runner on second base, as required by the extra-innings rule, he then bared down allowing no hits or runs, and struck out one of the three batters he faced to get out of the stanza.
Iglesias began his outing against Austin Hays, that got Elly de la Cruz hungup as he tried to reach third. During the play, Hays advanced to second and kept the Reds’ chances of tying the score intact, but Iglesias had other plans. The right-hander dispatched Spencer Steer on strikes and then got Gavin Lux to foul out to third baseman Austin Riley to end the game.
The Isle of Youth native threw a total of seven pitches toward home plate, tossing into six strikes (86%) and one ball (14%). He used five fastballs (72%), one changeup, and the same number of sinkers (14%). His pitches averaged a speed of 93.8 miles per hour, reaching a maximum of 96.4 mph with the fastball.
Cuban action on the night:
Yandy Díaz (Rays): 0-0 (.283)
Raisel Iglesias (Braves): 1.0IP,0H,0ER,K
Adolis García (Rangers): 4-1 (.227)
Randy Arozarena (Mariners): 3-1 (.250)