ST. PETERSBURG — Forget the ninth inning meltdown, which, let’s face it, you probably knew was coming, and focus on the major league debut of Wade Davis, who gave Tampa Bay Rays fans something to smile about Sunday as their playoff hopes took on more water.
“Davis was great for a first time out, for any time out,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said. “That was a superb performance.”
Davis had the best start to his career of any pitcher in team history.
The soft-spoken right-hander from Lake Wales, who turns 24 on Monday, allowed one run on three hits and struck out nine in seven innings and was in line for the victory before the bullpen choked away a ninth-inning lead in what became a disheartening 5-3 loss.
Those nine strikeouts are a record for a Ray making his major league debut.
Davis started the game by striking out the first four batters he faced. He allowed a home run to Aubrey Huff then struck out the next two to start a stretch of nine straight outs.
“I’ve not seen him that good, but I’ve heard about it,” said Maddon, who watched Davis pitch in spring training. “It was as good a debut as you can make.”
Davis regularly hit 91 mph and even threw a few fastballs at 94 mph in his last inning. He received a standing ovation from the 28,059 at Tropicana Field.
“I stayed relaxed and threw strikes. That was my goal,” Davis said.
How about all those strikeouts?
“I was trying to pitch to contact and get quick outs,” Davis said.
The nerves?
“I was a lot calmer than I thought I was going to be,” Davis said.
Surprised by the success?
“I don’t know,” Davis said. “Everything moved sort of fast. I didn’t have time to think about it.”
Davis, who will replace Scott Kazmir in the rotation, is not going to fill up a reporter’s notebook. Instead, he’s going to talk with his right arm.
His nine strikeouts were the most in the majors by a rookie in his debut since Daisuke Matsuzaka struck out 10 against the Kansas City Royals in April 2007. Davis became the first Ray to strike out the side in any inning during his major league debut. His seven innings tied Andy Sonnanstine’s team record for innings pitched in a major league debut.
Jeff Niemann allowed a run on one hit in six innings during his major league debut in April 2008.
Scott Kazmir threw five shutout innings in his back in August 2005.
Mickey Callaway allowed two runs and struck out seven in his debut in June 1999.
Other than the home run and a line drive by Curtis Granderson in the sixth that center fielder Fernando Perez played into a double, Davis was in command for basically all seven innings. That he followed each hit with a strikeout caught Maddon’s eye.
“There was no loss of composure,” Maddon said. “He was solid.”
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