African debut in MLB

Pittsburgh Pirates rookie Gift Ngoepe became the first African- born player to appear in a Major League Baseball ( MLB) game on Wednesday and marked his debut by getting a hit in his first at- bat.

The 27- year- old South African, recalled by Pittsburgh from their minor- league affiliate Indianapolis earlier in the day, entered the game against the visiting Chicago Cubs in the fourth inning.

Ngoepe was signed at age 18 as a non- drafted free agent in September 2008. He was rated by Baseball America as the “Best Defensive Infielder” in the Pirates’ minor- league system each of the last five seasons ( 2013- 17).