Photo: MiLB.com
RHP Dan Altavilla of the Bakersfield Blaze faced the High Desert Mavericks in Bakersfield last weekend and pitched well over 6 2/3 innings, but didn’t get a decision. Here are his numbers from the outing:
DAN ALTAVILLA – 6 2/3 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
102 pitches: 31 Balls, 71 Strikes
| INNING | BALLS | STRIKES | TOTAL |
| 1 | 1 | 9 | 1/9 (10) |
| 2 | 2 | 8 | 3/17 (20) |
| 3 | 11 | 12 | 14/29 (43) |
| 4 | 6 | 11 | 20/40 (60) |
| 5 | 4 | 11 | 24/51 (75) |
| 6 | 1 | 8 | 25/59 (84) |
| 7 | 6 | 12 | 31/71 (102) |
Altavilla entered the season as the Seattle Mariners’ #19 prospect according to Baseball America, #18 by MLB.com. A fifth-round draft pick out of Div II Mercyhurst (Erie, PA) in the 2014 First-Year Player Draft, Altavilla pitched at short-season Everett of the Northwest League last season, starting 14 games and going 5-3 with a 4.36 ERA and 1.61 WHIP.
This season, Altavilla got off to a 1-4 mark after eight starts and in his last three outings prior to this day game against High Desert, he had gone 5 1/3 innings, 5 innings, and 5 2/3 innings, allowing three earned runs each time.
The game notes indicated that Altavilla has had trouble in the first and second innings so far this season, posting an ERA over 5.00, before settling in and pitching strong in innings 3-5. In this start, he reversed that trend, using just 20 pitches to record the first six outs, including three strikeouts, over two dominant innings. To start the third, however, Altavilla appeared to lose his release point as he started with two four-pitch walks and then went 3-0 to the third hitter of the inning. He came back to go F7, K, 4-3, stranding the two runners and re-establishing his dominance for the moment.
Leading off the next inning, High Desert’s Ryan Cordell drilled a triple and Altavilla then hit the next batter on the first pitch, so, a little shaky again. A single drove in a run before Altavilla set the next three batters down to end the threat.
The fifth and sixth innings were both 1-2-3 with two K’s and Altavilla got the first two hitters in the seventh to ground out harmlessly to second. But, before he could get the third out to match his longest outing of the season at seven full innings, High Desert’s Edwin Garcia took him deep to break the 1-1 tie. Just like that, Altavilla was lifted for a reliever and, after the stellar performance, was on the hook for the loss. (The game went extras, no decision for Altavilla).
The 5’ 11”, 200-lb righty threw fastballs and sliders to both sides of the plate and had success with both pitches. He also gave up solid contact with both pitches and had the bout of wildness to start the third. Overall, it was an impressive performance. The fastball topped out at 93 mph according to one scout and his breaking stuff was tough on the High Desert hitters. The Mavericks lead the league in batting average, SLG and OPS, as well as hits, HRs and total bases. They are second in the league OBP and runs scored. So Altavilla did well to hold them down.
