After pitching 7 2/3 scoreless innings to start his professional career, Josh Appell finally gave up a run in the top of the seventh Tuesday night, raising his previously perfect ERA to 1.17.
Appell entered his first Gulf Coast League game on July 14. It was a perfect day in Port St. Lucie, Fla., 85 degrees and sunny. Appell's pitching performance was nearly perfect as well.
Entering in the fifth inning with one out and one man on base, Appell proceeded to shut down the rookie-league Nationals. He struck out three and walked one in one inning of no-hit relief.
Unfortunately for his Mets, Appell's performance was not enough to escape a 5-4 loss.
Last Wednesday Appell again dominated the Nationals' affiliate. In the bottom of the ninth, after his teammate, pitcher Michael Battista, gave up five runs in the first third of the inning, Appell was called in to the game.
He quickly struck out the next two batters to keep the game tied, sending it into extra innings. He returned to pitch a perfect tenth inning with two ground-outs and a strikeout.
When the Mets scored four runs in the eleventh to take the lead, Appell threw another scoreless inning to earn his first win as a professional baseball player. In the eleventh, Appell walked the leadoff man before getting the next batter to ground into a double play. Appell wrapped up his first win by getting the last batter to hit a pop-up.
A few nights after earning his first win, Appell was put into the game with an opportunity to pick up the first save of his pro career. He was sent in to pitch the ninth inning of Saturday's game against the Dodgers' rookie affiliate with the Mets leading 6-4. Appell retired the side in order, picking up a strikeout on the way to earning the first save of his career.
Appell seems to have grown comfortable in his new number 43 Mets jersey, having given up only two hits, two walks and one run in four appearances as of last night.
Appell was very excited about his performance so far and his first win.
"I just want to build confidence and have coaches have confidence in me," he said.
He says he is enjoying his role as a reliever-- coming into the game and having to understand the exact situation at hand.
"I like the pressure," he said.
Against the Gulf Coast League Marlins in the second half of a doubleheader, Appell went 1 2/3 perfect innings before giving up a double in the seventh inning and a run on a later wild pitch, ending both his hitless and scoreless streak.
Nevertheless, Appell still earned his second win in the game, keeping his overall record squeaky clean.
Appell's hot start has done nothing to diminish his hopes. Yet Appell understands that "baseball is a very humbling game," and realizes the necessity to "take every day at a time."
So far however, each day of Appell's minor league experience has been everything he expected and more.
"I knew that I was going to appreciate every little thing that came my way," Appell said. "I am having the time of life."
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The Appell FileMinor League Statistics
Date IP H R ER BB K Decis. ERA
7/14 1.2 0 0 0 1 3 -- 0.00
7/20 2.2 0 0 0 1 3 W 0.00
7/23 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 SV 0.00
7/26 2.1 2 1 1 0 3 W 1.17 ------------------------------------------------ Total 7.2 2 1 1 2 10 2-0 1.17
