Chris Rowley's unusual journey to the major leagues culminated in a sharp debut and a standing ovation Saturday, as the rookie led the Toronto Blue Jays to a 7-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Rowley, who missed the 2014 and 2015 seasons to serve active duty in the U.S. Army, gave up one run in just over five mostly trouble-free innings as the Blue Jays (55-61) evened their three-game series in front of 46,179 under a closed Rogers Centre.
He admitted he was nervous a night before the game and anxious Saturday morning. With his parents and sister in attendance, the 26-year-old eventually settled his nerves but conceded that he got a "little emotional" during the crowd's boisterous send-off.
"You have 45,000 people standing on their feet — that's the first time I've ever seen that in person. That's pretty cool," he said.
