On the heels of his first professional complete game shutout and being named the Southern League's pitcher of the week, Travis Wood of Bryant took a no-hitter into the seventh inning on Friday night in the Carolina Mudcats' 4-0 win over the West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx.
Wood, now 6-3, lowered his league-leading earned run average to 1.11 with seven shutout innings. He walked the first batter he faced in the game then didn't allow a baserunner until giving up a clean single with two out in the seventh. He hasn't allowed a run in three straight starts and hasn't given up more than two earned runs in any of his 13 starts this season. He's gone 25 consecutive innings since giving up a run.
He struck out seven, giving him 69 K's in 81 innings. Opponents are hitting just .181 against him.
In a recent visit, Wood's father, Jay, indicated that the Reds had instructed the lefty to take a little off his fastball and concentrate on command — controlling the location of his pitches. Reports are that he is using five pitches effectively, along with the fastball, a cutter, a curve, a slider and the change-up that scouts have said is among the best in the Cincinnati Reds' minor league system.
