Hence continues dominance with another scoreless start

The numbers don’t exactly jump off the page for Tink Hence.

He hasn’t pitched more than four innings in any outing across his two-year professional career, and his career high strikeout mark is eight. But whenever he takes the mound, it’s all but a guarantee you’re about to see something close to perfection.

In Game 2 of the Single-A Florida State League semifinals between Palm Beach and St. Lucie, the Cardinals’ No. 6 prospect turned in yet another scoreless outing, allowing just two hits while striking out three and walking none.

Hence lowered his season ERA to 1.28 across 56 1/3 innings to go with an 0.88 WHIP and an 84-15 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

The 20-year-old was perfect through his first three innings, carving through the Mets’ lineup on just 38 pitches (24 strikes). He allowed a leadoff single in the fourth and found himself in his first jam of the night when a one-out single put runners on first and second.

After a mound visit, Hence fell behind the next batter 3-0, and it seemed like he was about to falter. But the right-hander stormed back and earned a strikeout before a caught-stealing at third base put an end to the inning and ensured another spotless start.

In his debut last season, Hence was primarily used as a reliever and was still transitioning to Rookie ball after being selected 63rd overall in the 2020 Draft. He only turned in one start and posted a 9.00 ERA across eight innings of work.

Hence has completely flipped the script in 2022.

In 17 starts this season, the Arkansas native has been scoreless in 12 of them. Since his worst outing of the year on Aug. 17 where he gave up a season-high three earned runs in 2 1/3 innings, he’s turned in four straight scoreless starts.

Despite Hence's stellar performance, the Mets defeated the Cardinals, 3-2, to put them in the FSL Championship Series.