D-backs debutant Andrew Chafin pitches to scoreless no-decision vs. Indians
Aug 14, 2014, 2:03 AM | Updated: 2:12 am
Northeast Ohio native Andrew Chafin was burdened with a tall task two weeks ago when his girlfriend requested his big league debut for her birthday.
He wasn’t able to fulfill the request, as her birthday came and went Tuesday without a Chafin pitch in a rain-postponed game, forcing a doubleheader Wednesday.
But in the second game of Wednesday’s tilt, Chafin came through, though in belated fashion, taking the ball for the Arizona Diamondbacks against his hometown team, the Cleveland Indians. His girlfriend, a student at his nearby alma mater Kent State University, was in attendance.
Chafin, 24, put the icing on the cake by delivering five scoreless innings in the debut, while allowing just three hits and a pair of walks. The left-hander threw 101 pitches, 59 for strikes, and struck out three Indians hitters. He maneuvered around two early errors in the process.
Promoted from Triple-A Reno last week, the former first-round pick exited the game in a 0-0 tie.
Chafin was the first rookie starter this season to throw five or more scoreless innings allowing three hits or less in his first major league appearance.
