Chris Waters wasn’t even supposed to start for the Orioles. When the team’s first choice – Hayden Penn – was deemed unready, Waters got the call.
His first major league start was one both he and the Los Angeles Angels will remember.
Waters held the team with baseball’s best record to one hit over eight innings, and the Baltimore Orioles beat Los Angeles 3-0 on Tuesday night.
“It’s a great feeling,” Waters said. “I just went out there and tried to focus on the mitt as much as possible and keep my mind down in the zone. I came in here knowing that they were probably going to take pitches on me because I’m a rookie coming into a big stadium. So I really tried to pound the zone.”
Waters’ teammates were ecstatic about his performance against Angels veteran Jon Garland.
“That’s great. Nine years of frustration, and he took it out on the best team in baseball,” designated hitter Aubrey Huff said.
The AL West-leading Angels totaled 23 runs in Garland’s previous two starts, including an 11-6 win at Camden Yards. But all they could muster against Waters (1-0) was a leadoff single in the second inning by Vladimir Guerrero on a changeup low and away.
Garland (10-7) allowed three runs and nine hits over seven innings, including Luke Scott’s 19th homer in the seventh.
“You can’t expect the team to go out and put up five or 10 runs every game. You’ve got to get a break in there at some point,” Garland said.
In other AL games on Tuesday night, it was: Tampa Bay 8, Cleveland 4; Texas 8, New York 6; Boston 8, Kansas City 2; Chicago 10, Detroit 8, 14 innings; Seattle 8, Minnesota 7; and Toronto 4, Oakland 3.
Waters, a 27-year-old left-hander, began his professional career in 2000. Against the Angels, he had the best big league debut of any Orioles pitcher since Sept. 18, 1988, when right-hander Bob Milacki beat Detroit 2-0 with eight innings of one-hit ball, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. McNally pitched a complete-game one-hitter against the Kansas City Athletics on Sept. 26, 1962.
Waters was promoted from Triple-A Norfolk and inserted into the rotation due to the ineffectiveness of Radhames Liz – demoted to the minors on July 27.
The original plan was to call up Penn, whose career has taken several detours because of injuries after he went 0-4 with a bloated 15.10 ERA in six starts with the Orioles in 2006.
Trembley wanted Penn – who went on the disabled list in May with a shoulder ailment – to throw two innings and 35 pitches in his final tuneup with Triple-A Norfolk. But he lasted only two-thirds of an inning against Richmond, allowing three runs and three hits on 31 pitches.
“I think the consensus of opinion was that he wasn’t given an adequate opportunity to prepare himself to come here,” Trembley said.
The Orioles’ player development people recommended Waters.
Waters threw 104 pitches, striking out three, walking three and hitting a batter. He retired 14 of his last 15 batters.
“I don’t care how much of a scouting report you have. When you step in the box the ball is moving, it’s different than words,” Torii Hunter said. “He didn’t throw the offspeed stuff until the second time around. He threw all fastballs and one changeup the first time around. … He knew what he was doing.”
Waters began the season at Double-A Bowie, going 8-6 with a 4.65 ERA in 24 games. Then he went 3-1 with a 3.60 ERA in six starts for Norfolk. To make room for him on the roster, the Orioles optioned infielder Brandon Fahey to the Tides.
When asked if Waters was going to get another start, Trembley said: “That’s like asking if on Halloween, they’re going to have Trick or Treat.”
Red Sox 8, Royals 2
Jason Bay had four hits and two RBIs and Josh Beckett pitched effectively into the seventh inning to lead visiting Boston.
Beckett, 0-3 with a 5.31 earned run average while allowing 29 hits in 20 1-3 innings in his previous three starts, held the Royals to four hits and two runs in 6 2-3 innings. He struck out seven and walked two.
Rangers 8, Yankees 6
Josh Hamilton hit his 27th homer, rookie Matt Harrison (3-2) pitched into the seventh inning and Texas hung on to beat visiting New York.
White Sox 10, Tigers 8, 14 innings
Nick Swisher hit a three-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the 14th inning and the host White Sox rallied for four runs off Joel Zumaya (0-1) to beat Detroit.
Rays 8, Indians 4
Evan Longoria, Dioner Navarro and Cliff Floyd homered to help the host Rays get the win.
Edwin Jackson (8-7) won his third consecutive start, giving up three runs and seven hits in 5 2-3 innings.
Mariners 8, Twins 7
At Seattle, Raul Ibanez drove in five more runs and the Mariners rallied in the bottom of the eighth off Twins closer Joe Nathan, dropping Minnesota out of first in the AL Central.
Blue Jays 4, Athletics 3
Kevin Mench singled in the winning run with two outs in the ninth inning and Toronto extended visiting Oakland’s season-high losing streak to eight games.
Street (2-5) blew his sixth save of the season.
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