Los Angeles Angels Reliever Ben Joyce Clinches Win With Historic Strikeout

Ben Joyce was throwing absolute gas for the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday, striking out Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. on three pitches over 103 miles per hour to end the game.

Aug 20, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Los Angeles Angels pitcher Ben Joyce (44) delivers a pitch against the Kansas City Royals in the ninth inning at Kauffman Stadium. / Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Angels put quite the exclamation point on their surprise victory over the surging Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night.

The Angels went up 7-2 in the top of the seventh, and although they let the Royals crawl back into it with a three-run bottom of the frame, their offense made it a 9-5 contest in the top of the ninth. Even though it wasn't a save opportunity anymore, Ben Joyce took the mound in the lower-leverage scenario.

Joyce got MJ Melendez to strike out swinging, then he forced Michael Massey into a groundout. That left All-Star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. at the plate with two outs and nobody on.

The first pitch of the at-bat was a 104.8 mile-per-hour fastball that Witt swung at and missed. Joyce went right back at Witt without another 104.5 mile-per-hour fastball low and away, and the right-hander once again got the MVP contender to whiff.

Joyce then delivered a 103.2 mile-per-hour fastball down the middle, which Witt again failed to get a hold of. Witt went down on three pitches to end the game, and the 53-72 Angels locked up a win over the 70-55 Royals.

According to MLB.com's Sarah Langs and Jason Bernard, Joyce's strikeout of Witt was the first with three pitches – all over 103 miles per hour – and three whiffs since pitch tracking began in 2008. The only other three-pitch, all over 103 mile-per-hour strikeout in that span came when Joyce punched out JD Martinez on Aug. 3 earlier this year, but that included a called strike and a foul ball.

Ben Joyce’s strikeout of Witt was the first under pitch tracking (2008) of:

3 pitches, 3 whiffs, all 103.0+ mph

only other 3-pitch K all at 103+ mph in that span? Joyce on 8/3/24 of J.D. Martinez (called strike, foul, swinging strike)

!!!

h/t the wizard @JasonBernard_ https://t.co/jWk8LlhUTp

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) August 21, 2024

Joyce is 1-0 with a 2.54 ERA, 1.271 WHIP, 7.6 strikeouts per nine innings and a 1.1 WAR this season. The 23-year-old's average fastball velocity of 99.7 miles per hour ranks in the 100th percentile in all of MLB, per Baseball Savant.

The rubber match between the Angels and Royals is scheduled for 8:10 p.m. ET on Wednesday.

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