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Anderson stingy again as Braves win

No. 34 overall prospect fans eight over 5 2/3 scoreless frames
Ian Anderson threw 61 of 94 pitches for strikes on Wednesday afternoon. (Bob Levey/Getty Images)
@Kelsie_Heneghan
October 7, 2020

Ian Anderson put on a show in his Major League postseason debut last week. On Wednesday, he gave Braves fans an encore. MLB Pipeline’s No. 34 overall prospect worked around three hits and a walk over 5 2/3 innings, striking out eight, as the Braves beat the Marlins, 2-0, in

Ian Anderson put on a show in his Major League postseason debut last week. On Wednesday, he gave Braves fans an encore.

MLB Pipeline’s No. 34 overall prospect worked around three hits and a walk over 5 2/3 innings, striking out eight, as the Braves beat the Marlins, 2-0, in Game 2 of the NLDS. Atlanta is one win away from the NL Championship Series.

"It doesn't seem like the moment ever matters to him. He just keeps pitching and trusting his stuff," Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said of Anderson, who joined Steve Avery (1991) and Lew Burdette (1957) as the only pitchers in franchise history with back-to-back scoreless starts in the postseason.

"His changeup was really good. I thought the ball was coming out of his hand really good too, so they didn't have really good swings at him. There's a lot to worry about with this kid when he's facing you."

Anderson was strong out of the gate, striking out two batters in each of the first three frames. The 22-year-old right-hander allowed the Marlins to reach second base only twice all day, and kept them there.

"The guys back behind the plate are a huge part of it. Tyler (Flowers) and Travis (d'Arnaud) do such a good job of keeping you in the moment and not trying to overdo things or anything like that," Anderson told reporters. "Trusting the guys behind you as well, that's a huge thing. We have one of the better defenses in the league, I would say. Knowing that the guys behind you are going to make the play, whether they're 0-for-3 or 3-for-3, is always a nice thing to have in your head. That kind of makes it a lot easier for you out on the mound."

Facing Cincinnati in the Wild Card Series, Anderson struck out nine while tossing six two-hit frames. Against the Marlins, he became the third Braves pitcher with at least eight strikeouts in consecutive postseason appearances -- Steve Avery did it in back-to-back starts in 1991 and John Smoltz did it in three straight from 1996-97.

Anderson also became the first pitcher under the age of 23 to turn in multiple scoreless outings lasting five or more innings in the postseason since Michael Wacha did so for the Cardinals in 2013.

"I see it every day. I see it every day when we show up to the field, even on his off days. He's always locked in, paying attention to every hitter, how he thinks he would get him out. Does his homework," d'Arnaud said. "He's always been like that since I've seen him up here."

Snitker pulled Anderson after the 2016 first-round pick struck out Jesus Aguilar to end a 10-pitch at-bat with a runner at first in the sixth.

"I kind of felt he emptied his tank," the skipper said. "That was a tough, tough at-bat by Aguilar that he had. He did a great job. He just kind of stays in the moment, goes pitch by pitch, wins the at-bat, wins the inning and just keeps pitching. The game doesn't unravel on him. He keeps the thing at a good pace and his clock is really good.

"How he holds the ball with guys who can run and steal, he's got the ability to hold, hold, hold and throw a quality pitch. You don't see that in young pitchers. Things start speeding up with guys on, and he has the ability to slow the thing down when it starts getting rough on him."

The Braves bullpen locked down the win as Darren O'Day, Tyler Matzek, Will Smith and Mark Melancon combined for 3 1/3 hitless frames.

Cristian Pache replaced Nick Markakis in right field in the ninth, but Atlanta’s top prospect did not bat or get a chance defensively.

D'Arnaud and Dansby Swanson backed the strong pitching with solo homers.

In other action:

Rays 8, Yankees 4

Randy Arozarena homered for the third straight game, cranking a leadoff shot in the fifth inning off Yankees starter Masahiro Tanaka. The Rays' No. 18 prospect went 3-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored to become the first player in team history with multiple hits in four consecutive postseason games. He's 12-for-20 in the postseason with more homers (three) than strikeouts (two). Sixth-ranked prospect Shane McClanahan logged 1 1/3 innings and fanned two in his second big league appearance but surrendered a two-run blast to Giancarlo Stanton, the first earned runs charged to the 23-year-old since joining the team from its alternate training site. Box score

Kelsie Heneghan is a writer for MiLB.com. Follow her on Twitter @Kelsie_Heneghan.