LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla.—Braves right-hander Shelby Miller's last extended outing of the Grapefruit League may have been his best.
The Pirates managed just a couple of hard hits against Miller over six innings on Sunday. He struck out four batters and walked just one.
“I felt strong out there, which is the main thing,” Miller said. “Getting closer to the season you want to start feeling good. Right now I feel like I’m where I need to be physically. I’ve still got some things to work on off the mound but I feel comfortable where I’m at.”
Miller retired the Pirates in order in the first, second, third and fifth innings. Austin Meadows led off the third with a triple and scored when Pedro Florimon flied out to left fielder Jonny Gomes.
Wilkin Castillo was the only other batter to reach base when he led off the sixth inning with a walk. Miller retired three straight Pirates on groundouts to end the inning and his day.
“Boy, he was nails,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “He had command from the very start. He’s put together a string of two or three starts like that. It’s good to see.”
In his first Grapefruit League start Miller couldn’t get out of the first inning while allowing four runs. Since then, he’s allowed just two runs over his past 18 innings.
Miller is scheduled for a shorter spring outing before the regular season.
Miller, 24, was the key player the Braves got from the Cardinals in return for Jason Heyward in November. In three years with the Cardinals he was 26-18 with a 3.33 ERA, 312 strikeouts and 134 walks over 370 innings.