Leyer extends shutout streak to 14 frames

As Robinson Leyer's knowledge of pitching grows, so do his stats and, lately, streaks.

The White Sox right-handed prospect extended his scoreless streak to 14 innings by allowing just two hits over seven frames to help Class A Advanced Winston-Salem blank the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, 5-0, on Wednesday night.

"He just keeps getting better," Dash pitching coach J.R. Perdew said. "His mechanics are getting better and he's starting to understand his mechanics, which is helping."

The 22-year-old Chicago prospect didn't allow a walk while striking out five. Andre Wheeler set down the side in order in the eighth for his fourth win and Michael Ynoa fired a perfect ninth.

Leyer's strong effort marked the first time the right-hander out of the Dominican Republic has pitched consecutive scoreless seven-inning outings in his four-year career. In his previous start, the 6-foot-2 hurler held Carolina to four hits and three walks over seven frames for his third win.

"He had all three pitches going tonight," Perdew said. "He's always throwing the fastball downhill and he had a good changeup down. He was able to throw his slider for strikes. He had all three going."

Leyer missed out on his fourth win, but lowered his ERA 40 points to 4.30. He's 3-6 and has struck out 65 over 83 2/3 innings in his first season since being promoted from Class A Kannapolis, where he sported a 3.81 ERA in 25 starts last summer.

"Since the beginning of the year, he's worked to be taller in the stretch, to create an angle on his fastball, and that's been his biggest key," said Perdew. "He's starting to get it, he's starting to understand what he needs to do. Even two starts ago, when he went 4 2/3 [at Lynchburg], I thought he had a really good start. That game he was doing a lot of good things. Each time out, he's starting to really understand what he needs to do, and he's getting better."

The Dash scored all of their runs in the ninth. Ethan Wilson singled in Omar Narvaez to kick off a five-run frame that included RBI singles by Angel Engel, Toby Thomas and Keon Barnum.

In Winston-Salem's last three games, its starters have allowed just two earned runs on 11 hits over 19 innings.

"It's always nice, it gives your bullpen a rest," said Perdew. "And our catchers have both done a great job calling the games. We've played really good defense behind [the starters], you can't do it without that -- pitchers can only control so much, but our two catchers (Jeremy Dowdy and Narvaez) have done a great job calling games."

Leyer's older brother, Euclides, is a reliever for Winston-Salem and came in out of the bullpen after Leyer's start at Lynchburg on June 26 -- the last time Leyer allowed a run. In that game, Leyer loaded the bases and walked in a run before his brother got the third out to limit further damage. The pair didn't get a chance to repeat the feat Wednesday, though, but the older Leyer is having a good season -- he's 2-1 with a 2.21 ERA in 20 1/.3 innings over 13 relief appearances.

Perdew said it wasn't an intentional move to keep the brothers off the mound Wednesday, though.

"We had some other guys available we had to get in there," he said. "Plus the matchups. But he'll be back in there, he's done a nice job too."

Is the younger Leyer thinking about keeping his scoreless streak going next week, though?

"I hope not," Perdew laughed. "I hope he's not worried about streaks. I look at it each and every game. To me, it's about the next one, that's the way we try to get our guys to think here. Let's get ready." 

Pelicans starter Michael Heesch matched zeros with Leyer for much of the evening, but exited after five. He allowed four hits and struck out three. James Pugliese (4-2) was tagged for five runs on four hits and a pair of walks.