Yamamoto dazzles in big league debut
Saint Louis grad tosses seven shutout innings as Marlins beat Cardinals 9-0
MIAMI — Miami Marlins pitcher Jordan Yamamoto had just dropped down a successful suicide squeeze bunt and was on his way back to the dugout when he stopped at the plate to pick up his bat and return it to the rack, beating the batboy to the task.
What a rookie.
Yamamoto did it all Wednesday, earning an RBI and pitching seven innings to win his major league debut, and the Marlins broke a sixgame losing streak by beating the St. Louis Cardinals 9-0.
Garrett Cooper hit a grand slam and finished a double shy of the cycle. That was more than enough support for Yamamoto, acquired last year in the Christian Yelich trade.
The 23-year-old Yamamoto, a graduate of Saint Louis School in Honolulu, limited the Cardinals to three hits and two walks.
“At first I was really nervous,” Yamamoto said. “I’ve been sweating all day. But once I got the first guy out, I kind of calmed down.”
Yamamoto topped out at only 93 mph but changed speeds and threw strikes.
“He’s a fun guy to watch,” manager Don Mattingly said. “I’m sure if he goes to a tryout, the scouts are looking at this guy and you’re probably not signing him. But he can add and subtract. He’ll throw his fastball at 86, and at 92. He just mixes and mixes. He’s unpredictable.”
Two relievers completed a three-hitter.
Yamamoto was recalled from Double-A Jacksonville to fill in for Jose Urena, who went on the 10-day injured list with a strained lower back. After he received word Tuesday of his promotion to the majors, his parents and sister scrambled to make it to the game from Hawaii.
“I called them and was like, ‘Hey, get on a flight,’ ” he said. “They were like, ‘It’s too expensive.’ I said, ‘Mom, I don’t care. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing. Get out here.’ ”
Yamamoto enjoyed an early cushion thanks to Cooper, who pulled a two-out inside fastball that was off the plate for a grand slam in the second inning against Miles Mikolas (4-7).
Cooper also tripled and scored in the first inning, and singled in the fifth. He struck out in the seventh and eighth.
“I’m not going to lie, I was looking for that double,” he said with a chuckle. “I swung a little too hard the last couple of times.”
Yamamoto’s bunt in the sixth made it 6-0, and Curtis Granderson hit a three-run homer in the eighth. The laugher was quite a change for the Marlins, who totaled 10 runs during their losing streak.
Yamamoto struck out five and was consistently ahead in the count. He needed only 95 pitches.
“Congratulations to Jordan,” said Cardinals second baseman Kolten Wong, a former University of Hawaii player from Hilo. “I’m really proud of him. He kept his composure all night.”
When Yamamoto notched his first strikeout, the stadium PA system played the theme from “Hawaii Five-0.” He wore jersey No. 50.