Arroyo solid in Great Falls' clinch
With Great Falls needing to beat Billings to clinch the Rookie-level Pioneer League's North Division title, Arroyo gave up one hit and walked one while striking out seven over six innings in the Voyagers' 5-2 victory.
Despite his dominating performance, Arroyo's game started on the wrong foot, as he walked Billings' leadoff hitter Theo Bowe.
"I wasn't nervous. It was just that the control wasn't quite locked in yet, I think," Arroyo said. "After that I was settled in, though."
He picked Bowe off first base and struck out Billings' No. 2 hitter, Billy Hamilton. Arroyo promptly cruised through the next few innings.
"I was just trying to throw strikes -- let them hit the ball, let the defense do [its] job," said Arroyo. "I was just trusting in them and my catcher."
Kevin Lohman poked a groundball through the right side to lead off the fifth for the first Mustangs hit. Arroyo, who came to the White Sox system after being cut by the Phillies in Spring Training, refused to be rattled, getting out of that frame unscathed and going on to pitch a perfect sixth.
"I just got right back at them. It didn't bother me," he said.
Douglas Murray worked a 1-2-3 seventh to extend the one-hit bid. In the eighth, Goldy Simmons struck out the first two he faced and got the third batter to pop out to shortstop.
But Billings got to Simmons for two runs on two hits and three walks in the ninth.
Arroyo wasn't overly disappointed about the loss of the one-hitter and the shutout.
"It's all about winning. We were able to scratch out a win tonight, and we clinched and that's all that matters," he said.
"We're playing really well right now."
In other Pioneer League news, the Orem Owlz claimed a playoff spot by beating the Ogden Raptors, 4-2. Andrew Heid and Travis Witherspoon homered and Kevin Johnson (1-4) allowed a run on six hits and fanned six without walking a batter over six innings.
Josh Jackson is a contributor to MLB.com.