Cards’ Poncedeleon has stunning debut
Daniel Poncedeleon wasn’t going to let a sore neck ruin his majorleague debut, not after his trials of the past year. The Cardinals’ rookie shook it off and made St. Louis history.
Poncedeleon was sensational 14 months after a severe head injury, throwing no-hit ball for seven innings Monday night before Eugenio Suarez led the host Reds’ rally in the ninth as Cincinnati won 2-1.
Poncedeleon, a 26year-old right-hander, was hit on the right temple by a line drive while pitching for Triple-A Memphis on May 9 last year, fracturing his skull and causing bleeding in the brain. He had emergency surgery and months of recovery.
With 10 family members cheering from the stands, Poncedeleon walked three and struck out three, threw 116 pitches and gave way to a pinch-hitter in the eighth with the Cards up 1-0.
“I don’t know if words can describe that,” St. Louis interim manager Mike Shildt said. “It’s what’s magical about this game and what we love about this game.”
Poncedeleon prayed for calm before his debut, warmed up and hurt his neck on one pitch.
“I tweaked my neck in the bullpen and had a hard time looking toward home plate,” he said. “I was a little nervous then.”
He was fine once the game began. Poncedeleon joined the Dodgers’ Ross Stripling (against the Giants in 2016) as the only major-leaguers to throw at least seven no-hit innings in a debut since 1908.
Suarez’s two-out, solo homer off Bud Norris (3-3) tied it 1-1. The closer then loaded the bases two singles and a walk, and Dilson Herrera singled to end the Reds’ skid at four.