Misiewicz goes distance for Montgomery

After seeing six members of the Double-A Montgomery bullpen carry a heavy workload in Saturday night's 12-inning loss to Mobile, Anthony Misiewicz knew he needed to eat some innings in Sunday's start. When he walked off the mound for the final time, the only thing the bullpen had to take care of was the handshake line.
The Rays left-hander tossed the first shutout of his career as the Biscuits clung to a 1-0 victory over the BayBears at Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium. Misiewicz yielded five hits and a walk while striking out two without allowing an extra-base hit in the contest.

"I knew the bullpen was taxed yesterday and I had to go deep, but you never expect to throw nine," the 22-year-old said. "It felt good. Everything was just working really well for me, and [catcher] Nick Ciuffo called a [heck] of a game."
Gameday box score
The Michigan State product landed in the Tampa Bay organization as part of the deal that sent catcher Mike Marjama and right-hander Ryan Garton to the Mariners on Aug. 6. Since Misiewicz was drafted in the 18th round in 2015, Seattle and Tampa Bay have linked up on seven trades involving 23 players, including his current teammate, Dalton Kelly.
"I like this team a lot. They're a young team, so that's always good to have a couple guys your age that have been there, done that," Misiewicz said. "I actually played with a few of the guys previously, so it really helped me coming here and kind of meeting a new group and already feeling so close to them and making me one of their brothers."

After 16 starts for Class A Advanced Modesto, Misiewicz earned the bump to Double-A Arkansas in the Texas League, going 3-3 with a 4.35 ERA and 32 strikeouts over 41 1/3 innings. In four starts since being traded, he has compiled a 3.63 ERA with 16 strikeouts in 22 1/3 frames.
No. 19 Angels prospectBrennon Lund singled to right field to start the game against Misiewicz, who then induced Angels' third-ranked prospect Matt Thaiss to hit into a double play. The left-hander retired the next four batters before Forrestt Allday reached on an infield single to start the third. Allday was erased from the bases on a 1-3-6-3-4 pick-off play.
Misiewicz worked around a two-out walk in the fourth and surrendered back-to-back singles to Zach Gibbons and Tim Arakawa in the fifth, but got out of trouble with a pair of groundouts.

"That was the objective -- get ahead with the fastball and just throw my changeup like I mean it," Misiewicz said. "Just keep using the changeup more effectively in the zone. Quick, efficient outs, which is what every pitcher wants."
He worked a perfect sixth and seventh before Bo Way slapped a single to left with one out in the eighth. A wild pitch advanced Way to second, and Misiewicz picked an opportune time for his first strikeouts of the game, getting Alberto Triunfel and Lund to go down swinging. 
"I think I just focused a little bit harder than I was all game," Misiewicz said. "It's kind of funny that I thought about that during the eighth inning. I hadn't struck anybody out then. It was huge."
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The Michigan native got a pair of quick outs to start the ninth before Zach Houchins reached on a throwing error by shortstop Andrew Velasquez. Jose Rojas then lined out to third as Misiewicz finished the game in 98 pitches, 71 for strikes.
Grant Kay knocked in the game's only run in the third inning with a two-out liner to center.