Keys' Baumann rebounds with zeros

Michael Baumann craved a strong ending to his season. After Thursday's start, he will head into the offseason on a high note. 
The Orioles' 21st-ranked prospect matched a career best with seven innings, allowing two hits and one walk while fanning five to lead Class A Advanced Frederick to a 3-0 win over Potomac at G. Richard Pfitzner Stadium in his final start of the 2018 campaign.

"It felt great going into the offseason with some momentum, just feeling good about myself," he said. "I'm looking forward to building off of tonight."
Gameday box score
Baumann (8-5) retired the first four hitters before issuing his lone free pass to Andruw Monasterio. With Nick Banks at the plate, catcher Stuart Levy caught Monasterio stealing for the second out. The 22-year-old then fanned Banks to end the inning. Baumann allowed a leadoff single to Jack Sundberg in the third, but stranded him there. In the fourth, Levy again helped out his pitcher by throwing out another would-be basestealer -- Ian Sagdal this time -- before Baumann whiffed Aldrem Corredor to finish off the inning. 
Having Levy as an asset behind the plate makes life easier for Baumann, the hurler said. 
"That was huge. "It takes a lot of pressure off me," he said. "It definitely helps, it's one less batter I have to face. It's nice knowing that I can just not worry about rushing or anything and he's got my back." 
The 2017 third-round pick ended his outing with three perfect frames and sat down his final 11 batters. Baumann faced one over the minimum by the time he got Corredor looking to end the seventh. It was the first time the right-hander had completed seven innings since May 20 -- his Carolina League debut. On Thursday, he threw 58 of his 82 pitches for strikes and recorded five outs through the air and on the ground apiece. 
"Attack and just pound the zone," the 6-foot-4 starter said of his gameplan. "Mixing in some off-speeds, being able to change their timing. Going back and forth, off-speed early on and then just carrying that throughout the second half, continuing to pound the zone and continuing to work with [Levy] behind the plate, making a smaller zone for myself." 
Getting through seven frames for the first time in more than three months was a bonus for Baumann.
"It's fun going deep into the game. It feels like you start the tempo and you know the team has your back," he said. "Exiting the game and helping the bullpen get some rest helps a lot, especially at the end of the year." 
August had not been kind to Baumann. Then the penultimate evening of the month came around. Following back-to-back scoreless starts -- each lasting six innings -- on July 20 and 26, Baumann was 1-3 over his last four starts and surrendered 15 earned runs over 18 1/3 innings. The Jacksonville University product lowered his ERA on Thursday to 3.88 with the Keys. 
The strengths Baumann tries to play into on the mound, he said, involves relying on his fastball command on both sides of the plate and using at least one of his secondary pitches for a strike to allow his fastball to play up. Early against Potomac, he leaned on his changeup before his slider got going. 
"I think there was a little bit of an adjustment," he said. "Just doing what I was doing early on this year, focusing on making not too big of changes, just staying true to who I was coming into the season." 

He hasn't had time to think about the exact improvements he wants to make throughout the winter but has a general idea.
"I'm continuing to get in shape physically, and craft some secondary skills, kind of polishing those [pitches]," Baumann said.  
Jomar Reyes laced a two-run double in the third and Cole Billingsley added a sacrifice fly to pace the Keys' offense. Tyler Erwin picked up his 18th save of the year with two perfect innings with three strikeouts. 
Matthew Crownover (5-9), one outing removed from tossing the first no-hitter in P-Nats history, allowed two earned runs over five innings to wind up on the losing side.