The New York Yankees home opener against Toronto Blue Jays landed in jeopardy after a rare earthquake hit the East Coast on Friday morning. Tremors were felt across the city of New York, including Bronx. However, the jitters subsided after a couple of minutes, thus paving the way for smooth conduct in the game.
Regardless, the earthquake proved to be a bad omen for New York Yankees as they went 3-0 to mark their first shutout home opener loss since 1967. However, on the brighter side, Yanks starter for the day, Marcus Stroman had an absolute dream day and surpassed a five decade old franchise record in the process.
Marcus Stroman Pitches Six Shutout Inning On Yankees Home Debut!
April 5, Friday, proved to be a monumental day in Marcus Stroman’s career as he made his home debut for the New York Yankees. The Long Island native signed a two-year $37 million contract earlier this off-season and was given a chance to live his dream of pitching in the Yank’s home opener. Unsurprisingly, Stroman made his dream debut count by pitching six shutout innings. He allowed zero earned runs on three hits and walked one before striking out six Blue Jays hitters. Notably, Stroman also pitched a shutout start on his Yankee debut against the Houston Astros. Needless to say, the pitcher has proved to be a man of crisis for the Yanks, who are playing without their ace, Gerrit Cole, this year.
Meanwhile, Marcus Stroman ended up scripting franchise history on Friday by surpassing a 50-year-old record. The Long Island native is the only second pitcher in the past 50 years of Yankees history to have allowed 0 ER and 12+ IP in their first two games of the season. The last person to achieve this feat was Ramiro Mendoza in 1999. It speaks volumes of Stroman’s resilience and ability to perform under pressure. By the end of six innings, the pitcher walked out to a standing ovation before the bullpen poured water on his efforts. The relief pitchers ended up allowing three earned thus, which eventually led to the team’s 3-0 loss on home opening day. Regardless, with the series wide open, the Bronx Bombers are expected to come out all guns blazing on Saturday to reclaim dominance at home, the Yankee Stadium.
“NYY Is The Pinnacle,” Stroman Recalls Surreal Home Debut Experience
Marcus Stroman was apparently so nervous and anxious leading up to the home opener that he couldn’t eat or sleep the night before. However, the nervousness vanished as Stroman said the crowd was up on their feet to welcome him to the Bronx, and the pitcher rewarded the fans with a shutout start.
Speaking about his surreal experience, Marcus Stroman said that being able to compete in pinstripes means the world and everything beyond to him. He is grateful for the fans as the energy helped him thrive on the mound. “Every kid that has dreams of playing baseball, you imagine yourself pitching Opening Day at home for the New York Yankees,” said Stroman.
Follow Sports News International for more news and updates about New York Yankees and your favorite MLB team
