Antwone Kelly made his Major League Baseball debut tonight in the Pirates’ 8-3loss to the Marlins at PNC Park, becoming the first Pirate and seventh player from Aruba to achieve that.
Hours after he was recalled from Class AAA Indianapolis, he threw 2 1/3 innings in relief, allowing two earned runs on two hits, including a home run, with a walk and a strikeout.
"A dream come true," he called it. "I felt like a kid."
It’s always tough to get a read on a debut because of the nerves, but Kelly did get a taste when he made a start for the Netherlands against Venezuela in this year's World Baseball Classic.
"It was quick,” he said of his walk to the mound here tonight. “I was expecting this moment my whole life. I was very happy."
Kelly took over for Wilber Dotel with two outs in the seventh inning. Javier Sanoja led off the Miami eighth with a double down the left-field line on a 100.7-mph fastball. Then, Liam Hicks launched a changeup down in the zone for a two-run home run.
"They were ready for the fastball. Gave up the home run," Don Kelly said. "I thought he was as advertised. Throwing the ball hard. Mixed in some offspeed stuff. He looked good."
THE ASYLUM
Kelly’s debut ‘dream come true’ despite home run
Antwone Kelly made his Major League Baseball debut tonight in the Pirates’ 8-3 loss to the Marlins at PNC Park, becoming the first Pirate and seventh player from Aruba to achieve that.
Hours after he was recalled from Class AAA Indianapolis, he threw 2 1/3 innings in relief, allowing two earned runs on two hits, including a home run, with a walk and a strikeout.
"A dream come true," he called it. "I felt like a kid."
It’s always tough to get a read on a debut because of the nerves, but Kelly did get a taste when he made a start for the Netherlands against Venezuela in this year's World Baseball Classic.
"It was quick,” he said of his walk to the mound here tonight. “I was expecting this moment my whole life. I was very happy."
Kelly took over for Wilber Dotel with two outs in the seventh inning. Javier Sanoja led off the Miami eighth with a double down the left-field line on a 100.7-mph fastball. Then, Liam Hicks launched a changeup down in the zone for a two-run home run.
"They were ready for the fastball. Gave up the home run," Don Kelly said. "I thought he was as advertised. Throwing the ball hard. Mixed in some offspeed stuff. He looked good."
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