Arizona’s Merrill Kelly hopes to emulate St. Louis pitcher Miles

SCOTTSDALE Andrew Cashner Jersey , Ariz. (AP) — Mikolas.Kelly never got above Triple-A during five seasons in the Tampa Bay organization, went to South Korea and won 48 games over four years with the SK Wyverns.Mikolas won 31 games in Japan with the Central League’s Yomiuri Giants from 2015-17, then signed a $15.5 million, two-year contract with the Cardinals and went 18-4. He triggered an extra $1 million in pay for this year, and the Cardinals rewarded him with a $68 million, four-year deal covering 2020-23..”I definitely paid attention to him a lot last year,” Kelly said. “I was checking the box scores. My goal was obviously to come back, and to see him go to Asia and dominate the way he did, and come back and dominate the way he did … I was definitely rooting him on.”Kelly helped SK Wyverns win last year’s title under former Kanas City manager Trey Hillman.“It’s an experience that I can look back on 20 years from now and say I am really glad I spent four years there,” Kelly said. “Before I was contacted, I didn’t even really think of South Korea Chance Sisco Jersey , other than we learn about the Korean War and more about North Korea.Arizona general manager Mike Hazen said the team had scouted Kelly in Asia and liked “the mix of pitches, the stuff, strike-throwing ability.”“He matured,” Hazen said. “It can play a little offensive over there. It is a good challenge for pitchers.”Kelly was drafted by the Rays out of Arizona State in 2010. Primarily a sinker/changeup pitcher with Tampa Bay, Kelly said he threw four more four-seam fastballs and curveballs in South Korea. He added a cut fastball to better attack left-handed hitters and also saw his velocity rise to the low- to mid-90 mph range.“The Korean hitters are very good at their hand-eye coordination,” Kelly said. “They are very much in the mentality of ‘if it is in the strike zone, I am going to swing at it, and I am going to swing at it hard.’ And a lot of times they hit it. Just being able to navigate the zone a little bit differently is one of the differences I came back with.”The departures of Patrick Corbin and Clay Buchholz as free agents created opportunity to join a rotation headed by Zack Greinke and Robbie Ray.“We’re going to count on him,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said. “I encouraged him to embrace those expectations and understand that he’s ready for these types of challenges. I think he is going to have a good year for us.” TORONTO (AP) — David Hess had done everything right, taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning in his first start of the season.So it was something of a stunner when first-year manager Brandon Hyde pointed to the bullpen.Hess was pulled after 6 1/3 hitless innings, and the Baltimore Orioles bullpen couldn’t see the no-hit bid through in a 6-5 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday night. The 25-year-old right-hander struck out eight and walked one http://www.oriolesfanproshop.com/authentic-j.j.-hardy-jersey , but Hyde pulled him after 82 pitches. Hess also threw 42 pitches in relief Thursday on opening day.“I was shocked because I knew my pitch count was decently low,” Hess said.Reliever Pedro Araujo replaced Hess, walked Justin Smoak, and then allowed a two-run homer to Randal Grichuk for Toronto’s first hit.Hyde said he had planned to pull Hess earlier, possibly after five innings, but let him stretch his pitch count more than expected because he was throwing so well. The effort helped Baltimore win its third straight and get its first victory in Toronto since Sept. 13, 2017. The Orioles lost all 10 games in Canada last year.It was the second-longest scoreless outing of Hess’s young career, just shy of the 6 2/3 innings he went last May at Tampa Bay.Hyde was booed when he walked to the mound to fetch Hess, but the skipper had no regrets.“For David to go beyond that (pitch count) obviously and then some, was incredible,” Hyde said. “But that was a terrible walk. I hated to do it Caleb Joseph Jersey , but for David’s health and one of, hopefully, 30-plus starts, it was the right thing to do.”Baltimore’s offense was sparked by Jonathan Villar’s first home run of the season in the first inning, with Trey Mancini providing the winning margin with his second homer of the year in the seventh inning.Left-hander Richard Bleier picked up his first save of the season.It was the second time this season the Blue Jays have been no-hit into the seventh inning. Detroit right-hander Jordan Zimmermann retired 20 Toronto batters on opening day before Teoscar Hernandez singled to end his perfect game.Manager Charlie Montoyo acknowledged that his team has struggled when it comes to offense.“I’m not going to defend our offense right now, but I know we’re going to hit,” he said. “That’s what they do. They have a past, they have a record and we’re going to hit. We’re just not hitting right now.”After a team-record 24 consecutive scoreless innings from the Blue Jays starters to begin the season, things unraveled early for Sean Reid-Foley (0-1). Recalled from Triple-A Buffalo to make his eighth career start, he endured a rough outing, giving up five hits and five runs Roberto Alomar Jersey , three earned, while walking two and striking out three in two innings.SLOW STARTERSFor the fourth time in five games to open the season, the Blue Jays saw their first nine batters sent down in succession, going just 1 for 46 in the opening three innings of their games.SPARSE CROWDThe announced crowd of 10,460 was the smallest crowd at Toronto’s Rogers Centre since April 19, 2010, when 10,314 showed up to see the Blue Jays play Kansas City.TRAINER’S ROOMBlue Jays: Top prospect Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (strained oblique) has resumed baseball activities after being out since March 8, making appearances in extended spring training in Dunedin, Florida. Toronto’s plan is to have the third baseman report to Triple-A Buffalo at some point but is mindful of the cold weather in Western New York and doesn’t want him to reinjure himself. … RHP Clay Bucholtz (right flexor) will throw 60 pitches on Tuesday and 75 on April 7, and could be in line to pitch against Tampa on April 13. … RHP Ryan Tepera (right elbow) and LHP Ryan Borucki (left elbow) are scheduled to throw side sessions on Wednesday.Orioles: Renato Nunez served as designated hitter once again on Monday Nick Markakis Jersey , but Hyde said the biceps soreness that limited him in spring training has subsided somewhat, allowing him to play first or third base if required.UP NEXTOrioles: RHP Andrew Cashner (0-1, 13.50) makes his sixth career start in Toronto, aiming to improve on the 1-2 record he has posted at Rogers Centre.Blue Jays: After pitching seven scoreless innings on opening day, RHP Marcus Stroman (0-0, 0.00) makes his second start of the season, having won his only start against the Orioles last season, allowing just one run over seven innings.