Mt. Spokane’s Drew Rasmussen records two outs during MLB All-Star Game

PHILADELPHIA – Mt. Spokane High product Drew Rasmussen recorded two outs in the seventh inning for the American League team during the MLB All-Star Game on Tuesday at Citizens Bank Park.

The Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher first faced Atlanta’s Matt Olson, who took the first two pitches for balls before Rasmussen got back into the count and induced a flyout on his sixth pitch.

Rasmussen then struck out Miami’s Otto Lopez with an 84-mph sweeper before walking Cincinnati’s Sal Stewart on six pitches. AL manager John Schneider, of Toronto, came to the mound after the walk and replaced Rasmussen with Texas’ Jacob Latz, who finished the inning with a strikeout of San Francisco’s Luis Arraez.

Rasmussen, an All-Star for the Rays in each of the past two seasons, ranks fourth in MLB with a 0.95 WHIP and eighth in the AL with a 3.26 ERA. The 30-year-old right-hander has a 7-5 record on the year with 98 strikeouts against 17 walks.

Rasmussen was named the American League Pitcher of the Month for June. He allowed three runs on 16 hits over five games last month with 39 strikeouts against four walks.