The race to two strikes means getting ahead in the count by getting two strikes on a hitter before he allows two balls. If he does that, the percentages are in his favor to limit hard contact. Those factors keep his ERA low and give his team more chances to win.
“I’m working on things that translate to success at higher levels rather than success at this level, which is really just getting ahead of guys,” Boyle said.
As the reigning pitcher of the week in the Midwest League, Boyle wasn’t at his sharpest Tuesday night but he was good enough to allow only one run in four innings and set the first-place Dragons up for a 4-2 victory over South Bend at Day Air Ballpark.
“Some of my stuff was there; some of it wasn’t,” Boyle said. “It was there at times and went away. But I felt pretty good and stuck to my processes, my routine and just didn’t quite get the same results. But overall, I’m not disappointed in it.”
Boyle loaded the bases for the first time this season following a two-out walk in the third inning. Then he got a flyball to left to end the inning. He allowed his first homer of the season — after 36 2/3 innings — when Jake Slaughter lined a solo shot just over the center-field fence. Boyle worked four innings and left with a 3-1 lead. He allowed three hits and three walks and struck out five.
Slaughter’s homer came on a 1-2 count on a slider that stayed too high in the strike zone. Boyle knows that count will work his favor most of the time. He also accepts that the percentages don’t pay off 100%.
“That pitch specifically was a pitch I wish I had back,” Boyle said. “The movement on that wasn’t quite what I wanted, but he’s a good hitter and put a good swing on it. You just chalk it up to hey, it’s baseball, it happens.”
Dragons manager Bryan LaHair sees the same high 90s fastball and good stuff everyone sees. But he also sees the little things Boyle is doing to be consistent.
“It’s just his commitment to knowing the lineup, his commitment to the game plan and work ethic throughout the week.” LaHair said. “He’s trying to learn every day. He’s always in the office asking questions.”
Boyle said his knowledge of how to pitch has grown “a ton” since the Reds drafted him in the fifth round in 2020 out of Notre Dame.
“The thing with the Reds is be good at what you’re good at,” he said. “And finding what your strengths are, where your pitches play the best, and induce the most weaknesses. And then just going and doing that consistently.”
Boyle’s strong start and the bullpen work of Evan Kravetz and Donovan Benoit gave the Dragons all they needed to improve to 31-14 and increase their East Division lead to 6½ games over Great Lakes, which lost 9-1 to Fort Wayne.
Allan Cerda got the Dragons started in the second inning with his seventh homer, a solo shot that traveled an estimated 450 feet and hit over halfway up the scoreboard. An error followed by singles by Jose Torres and Mat Nelson produced the Dragons’ second run.
Elly De La Cruz singled in a run in the fourth for a 3-1 lead. He doubled in the seventh, stole third and scored on Austin Hendrick’s two-out infield single for a 4-2 lead.
“Same clubhouse, same energy, same chemistry, same work ethic,” LaHair said. “We show up every day to prepare for games, prepare to win a game, prepare for the future.”
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