Zach starts with a “No Decision”
- Details
- Category: Sports
- Published on Wednesday, 13 July 2011 16:55
- Written by Steve Bart
Do you live under a rock? It’s an old, sarcastic question that has been getting a lot of revival again recently. It could be used now too if you have not gotten caught up in the excitement that swept the city since the Cleveland Indians called up local baseball star, Zach McAllister (23) for a start against the Toronto Bluejays in Cleveland Thursday night.
Scheduled starter Fausto Carmona, had been placed on the disabled list, leaving an opening. Zach got the call last Tuesday. McAllister was 8-3 with a 2.97 ERA, 71 strikeouts and 21 walks in 97 innings this season for the AAA Columbus (Ohio) Clippers of the International League. He was scheduled to start Wednesday for the Clippers.
“Once I found out that I was the one being called up, I was very excited.”
A 2006 graduate of Illinois Valley Central, McAllister, a 6-foot-6 right-hander, he helped lead the Chilli Grey Ghosts to the Class A state baseball title. He went to the New York Yankees, then was acquired by Cleveland in a 2010 trade. He was added to the Indians’ 40-man roster last November. The Indians has added McAllister to their active roster, but a corresponding move has not been announced.
The game was carried locally by three places. Tim & Shelly’s, Castaway’s, and Blarney Castle. It also was carried by a couple of Sport’s Bars in Peoria.
Z-Mac as he is getting to be known by, wore Number 57 (his favorite since IVC days was #55) pitched four innings, but had thrown a rather large amount of pitches – 96 – before being pulled.
He had given up 2 runs plus one unearned, but was on the hook for a loss. That was how it looked to be the end when they went into the ninth, then behind 4-0.
Then it got exciting as Cleveland scored one, then got the bases loaded before Travis Hafner sent it into the right-field seats for a walkoff grand slam. Final: Cleveland 5, Toronto 4!
What was more
important to us locally, that took Z-Mac off the hook. He did not get the win, but he also did not get the loss. After the game, he was sent back to Columbus. Oh well, he’ll be back up there! He also probably got a few more fans in the meantime. His Twitter Account on the Internet doubled overnight in followers already! An extra note too – the announcers spoke during the broadcast that Zach had played “for IVC High School in midwestern Illinois”!
Zach joins the likes of other locals that are big in baseball including Jim Thome of Bartonville-Limestone (MN Twins), Joe Girardi of East Peoria-Peoria Spalding-Notre Dame (NY Yanks), and Ben Zobrist of Eureka (Tampa Bay Rays).
Zach is the son of Steve McAllister who is also a native of Chillicothe, graduating in 1981, Steve was drafted out of Bradley University as the Houston Astros’ fifth-round selection and played six seasons in the minor leagues before starting his career as a scout. He previously has scouted the midwest for the Milwaukee Brewers, California Angels and Boston Red Sox. Steve is an inductee in both the IVC and Bradley Halls of Fame. As Midwestern Regional Supervisor, Steve McAllister is the lead scout for the Arizona Diamondbacks in the Midwest.
Zack’s grandfather on his father’s side was also a well-known personage in Chillicothe. He was a popular State Trooper for Illinois, active in the F.O.P., Troopers Lodge 41. He had lived most of his life here after graduating from Henry-Senachwine High School where he, himself, was known to be quite an athlete.
“Pete” passed away in 1995 when Zach was 8 and never got to see most of his grandson’s achievements, but is no doubt watching them now with a grin on his face.
