Has debut start for the ages with 6 no-hit innings & 9 Ks
DOMINGO GERMAN dreamt of this day as a young boy growing up in the shortstop cradle of San Pedro de Marcoris in the Dominican Republic. He visualized walking to the mound at a packed ballpark, his intro music playing, and starting a major-league baseball game. He thought about the possibility of throwing a perfect game and etching his name into baseball lore.
On Sunday afternoon at the Stadium, underneath cloudy skies, virtually all of those childhood dreams became a reality for the 25-year-old German. And if he’d been allowed to pitch deeper into the game, the Yankees righthander might have ended up in the history books, too.
German made his first major-league start Sunday against the Indians and fired six spectacular no-hit innings in an eventual 7-4 victory for the Yankees — a comeback win completed by Gleyber Torres’ walk-off homer. German struck out nine batters and only allowed two base runners. He became the first pitcher since 1908 to not allow a hit and strike out nine or more batters in his first major-league start.
“I know he was really excited for this opportunity, for this chance,” manager Aaron Boone said after the game. “And to go out there and absolutely deliver for us, I couldn’t be more proud of him.”
German was thrust into this role after lefthander Jordan Montgomery landed on the disabled list last week with an elbow strain, and he was not stretched out enough to pitch past where he did Sunday afternoon.
German was at 84 pitches through six innings, which was already well above the 70-pitch limit Boone had planned entering the game. German handed the ball off to Dellin Betances, who didn’t allow a hit in the seventh but spoiled a possible combined no-hitter when he surrendered a single to open the eighth. The Yankees then fell behind when Betances and Jonathan Holder combined to allow four runs in the frame. But the Yankees fought back to deliver a win on an otherwise perfect day for German, who said he was aware he had a no-hitter going during his start.
“I had a lot of confidence in myself that I could do this, that I could go out there and pitch and compete,” German said through a translator. “And I wanted to keep it simple, execute one pitch at a time.”
German showcased three dominant pitches during his standout outing — a swerving two-seam fastball, a diving changeup and a hooking curve ball — fooling a potent Indians lineup through six innings.
“He just continued to make pitches,” Boone said. “I think it’s a tribute to how good of a pitcher he’s become and the weapons that he has.”
Added German: “When you have all your pitches working, you have a lot of confidence in yourself because you can see that you’re able to do what you want to do out there.”
German will make his next start Saturday against the A’s. He certainly earned that right with his performance Sunday against the Indians. Boone said the coaching staff will build German’s pitch count up for his next outing.
“It was a moment that I was definitely waiting for for a long, long time,” German said. “Actually getting the opportunity today and pitching a no-hitter through six innings, it means a lot to me. It’s something that I will always remember.”