Best Pitcher Performance, No. 6: Brault Baffles IronPigs with Seven Scoreless

INDIANAPOLIS - After posting a 2-0 record and 1.26 ERA in five May starts, left-hander Steven Brault opened his month of June with a dynamite start against Lehigh Valley. The 25-year-old would go on to win each of his five starts that month thanks to a sparkling 1.32 ERA (5 ER/34.0 IP).

Brault silenced Lehigh Valley on June 1 by allowing just five hits with eight strikeouts in seven innings, ultimately earning his third win of the year while lowering his ERA to 2.20. The IronPigs owned the International League's best record entering the game, but it was the league's eventual Most Valuable Pitcher who owned the night.
Brault's outing began with a soft single but he picked up his first two strikeouts to keep the visitors off the scoreboard. He then worked a 1-2-3 second and pitched around a pair of singles that started the third.
The California native yielded a two-out double to Rhys Hoskins in the fourth but left him at second with a strikeout of Nick Williams. A 1-2-3 fifth preceded a two-strikeout sixth, and he capped the start with his second punchout of 2016 Tribe teammate, Pedro Florimón.
Like many of his successful starts for the Tribe, Brault thrived off his fastball while mixing in few breaking balls and changeups. He also finished 1-for-1 with a sacrifice bunt at the plate.
Brault's final line: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 8 K, 93 pitches/62 strikes.