It was a tough Main League debut on Thursday for Jack Leiter, however his group nonetheless managed to squeak out a victory.
The Rangers’ 23-year-old right-hander — the son of former Mets and Yankees left-hander Al Leiter — allowed seven runs, all earned, on eight hits in 3 ²/₃ innings in Texas’ 9-7 win over the Tigers in Detroit.
He walked three and struck out three.
“Clearly, it’s a surreal expertise,” Leiter stated. “It’s one thing you dream about because you had been slightly child. Being across the sport at all times, it’s a special occasion. I do know I’m higher and I should be higher and I can be higher. And that’s sort of the frustration is a few pitches that I left on the desk and a few errors that I made. ”
Leiter, the No. 2 total choose within the 2021 draft, was introduced up from Triple-A Spherical Rock, the place he was 1-1 with 25 strikeouts and three walks in 14 innings over three appearances.
“He was all proper,” Texas supervisor Bruce Bochy stated. “He had slightly bother hitting his spots within the second inning, however he got here proper again within the third and acquired two fast outs within the fourth earlier than he bumped into bother.”
Regardless of Leiter’s wrestle, the Rangers pulled out the win largely as a result of Leody Taveras, who scored the go-ahead run on a fielder’s selection within the eighth inning and added an RBI single.
Taveras doubled with one out within the eighth and went to 3rd on Marcus Semien’s fielder’s selection, eluding a tag by Detroit third baseman and former Yankee Gio Urshela.
Seager then grounded to first and Taveras scored to interrupt a 7-all tie.
“He made a terrific play,” Tigers supervisor A .J. Hinch stated of Tavares’ play. “We made loads of errors in the present day, however that wasn’t one in all them. It was a baseball athletic play that didn’t go our approach.”
Jose Leclerc (1-1) acquired the win in reduction for Texas, and Shelby Miller (3-2), the fifth of six Detroit pitchers, took the loss for the second day in a row.
Although it wasn’t a terrific debut for Leiter, he did have assist from one member of the Yankees.
Anthony Volpe — a former teammate of Leiter’s at Delbarton College in New Jersey — stated Wednesday he was trying ahead to spending his Yankees’ off-day watching “each pitch” of his buddy’s main league debut.
“I couldn’t be happier for him and his entire household, for everybody. I’m super-excited,” stated Volpe, who received a New Jersey state championship with Leiter of their senior 12 months at Delbarton. “I’m certain his telephone was going loopy and all of our family and friends buddies are tremendous pumped.”
— with AP
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