CINCINNATI (AP) — Major league debuts are a milestone for any player.
Chase Burns had one for the record books.
The Cincinnati Reds rookie became the first starting pitcher in the expansion era to strike out the first five batters on Tuesday night against the New York Yankees.
The 22-year old Burns, the second overall pick in last July’s amateur draft, gave up three runs in five innings, but his teammates made sure that the night ended on a positive note as the Reds rallied for a 5-4 victory in 11 innings.
“I feel like after the first batter, I kind of settled in there, but I was amped up, so it was fun,” Burns said. “It was everything I could ask for. I mean, to walk it off like that, to be in the dugout and see that, there’s nothing better than that.”
The right-hander struck out his first five batters before Jazz Chisholm Jr’s single. He gave up six hits and struck out eight, the seventh Cincinnati starter to have at least that many in his first career start.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Burns also joined the Yankees’ Al Leiter (vs. Brewers in 1987) and Tampa Bay’s Wade Davis (vs. Tigers in 2009) as the only pitchers since 1961 whose first six outs in their debuts were strikeouts. Both gave up a run during the first two innings.
The Dodgers’ Pete Richert struck out the first six batters he faced in relief against the Reds in 1962, but the third batter reached on a third strike passed ball.
“That was pretty cool,” Reds manager Terry Francona said. “He didn’t get too excited, I think he enjoyed the competition. There’s a lot to like. His slider is really good.”
Burns struck out seven of his first 10 hitters and allowed only one hit until Ben Rice led off the fourth by connecting on a hanging slider that went 413 feet and two-thirds of the way into the right field sun deck at Great American Ball Park.
Aaron Judge followed with a base hit. Burns retired the next two hitters, Chisholm got aboard with a single and Anthony Volpe hit a two-run triple when center fielder TJ Friedl made an ill-advised dive and the ball got by him.
Catcher Tyler Stephenson noticed though that the three-run fourth did not faze Burns too much.
“I think the maturity shows when they score a couple runs and then he goes right back out the next inning and goes out and attacks,” he said.
Burns averaged 98.1 mph with 48 fastballs, topping out with a pair at 100.1 mph in the first inning. He threw 24 sliders, eight changeups and one curveball. New York was 1 for 9 with six strikeouts in his first time through the order and 5 for 9 with a triple and home run the second time through.
Burns threw 53 of 81 pitches for strikes. His first big league pitch was a 98.4 mph fastball to Trent Grisham that just caught the inside corner of the plate. He got Judge to chase a 91.1 mph slider for the third out in the first inning.
“Big arm. Excited for his future. He’s running it up there at 100 miles per hour and has a good feel for all the breaking pitches,” Judge said. “It was impressive to see him out there doing his thing. You see guys like that kind of amped up and throwing it all over the place, but he did a good job of attacking the zone.”
Burns also fell behind 3-0 on three of the first 10 batters before ending up with strikeouts.
Burns started 11 of 21 batters with strikes and induced 12 swing and misses. He is the fifth first-round selection from last year’s draft to reach the majors, joining Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz, Royals outfielder Jac Caglianone, Angels second baseman Christian Moore and Astros outfielder Cam Smith, who was selected by the Cubs before going to Houston in the Kyle Tucker trade last December.
“Everyone has kept telling me to do what I’ve been doing and not change anything,” Burns said.
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