Houston Astros newcomer Yusei Kikuchi struck out eight consecutive batters in a dynamic debut for the American League West ballclub on Friday, August 2.
The Astros defeated the visiting Tampa Bay Rays 3-2 at Minute Maid Park.
Kikuchi left the game after 5⅔ innings with the score tied 2-2. Picking up a no-decision in his first start for Houston, the veteran left-hander fanned 11 batters and allowed three hits and two runs. He walked three batters.
The Astros acquired Kikuchi from the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday.
Houston improved to 57-52 by winning the series opener. The Astros and Seattle Mariners (58-53) are tied for the AL West lead.
Looking back at Kikuchi's impressive effort, Astros manager Joe Espada said the lefty did a stellar job of baffling the Rays batters.
"It was so good because everything he was throwing up there, he just had them so off-balance, and that's exactly what you want to do," Espada said, according to MLB.com. "When you have an offense on their heels, you're in control of the at-bat. You don't want their offense to be in control. He had control of the game from the second inning on."
Espada said Kikuchi's changeup was excellent in his first mound appearance for Houston.
"The changeup was the game-changer for me," Espada was quoted as saying by Kyodo News. "Because that's what we want him to do is throw that changeup in the zone. It's a really, really good pitch and it makes his fastball a much better pitch."
Yusei Kikuchi Assesses His Performance
Tampa Bay scored two runs in the first inning against Kikuchi.
After that, he found his pitching rhythm, including the aforementioned eight consecutive punchouts from the third to fifth innings.
In doing so, Kikuchi matched a franchise record last achieved by three-time Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander on October 4, 2022.
"I kept us in the game and we were able to win," Kikuchi was quoted as saying by Kyodo News. He added, "I am really relieved."
Kikuchi also spoke about his reliance on his changeup.
"I threw the changeup with Toronto, but today I was still able to throw the changeup for strikes, even when I was behind in [the] count, as well as when I was ahead in counts," he said, according to ML.com. "The way I used that changeup today paid dividends."
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Author: Ed Odeven
Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.
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