Lakeland, Fla. — Tigers ace Matthew Boyd started his day against the Pirates throwing three straight fastballs. Then, with an 0-2 count, he snapped a curveball that bit at the back foot of right-handed hitting Erik Gonzalez, who already had lunged out at what he thought was another fastball.
In the second inning, again ahead 0-2, he snapped another beauty that locked up John Ryan Murphy. Unfortunately for Boyd, it also locked up plate umpire Joe West, who called it a ball. No worries, though, Boyd ended up getting the strikeout with a change-up.