Grandview High School graduate Kevin Gausman picked up his long-awaited first victory as a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball Saturday night.
Called up earlier in the day from Triple-A Norfolk, the hard-throwing righthander struck out six batters in a career-high seven innings to help the Baltimore Orioles post a 6-3 victory over the Oakland Athletics at Camden Yards.
In his second start of the 2014 season, the 23-year-old Gausman allowed four hits and one run and walked one batter to earn the victory in his seventh career start spanning two seasons. He lasted just four innings in his first start of the year on May 14, as the Detroit Tigers reached him for five runs on six hits.
“It’s always huge when you get a win, especially against a team like the A’s,” Gausman told the Associated Press after the game. “They’re playing great baseball right now. It’s been a fun series to watch so far. Hopefully, we can win the series tomorrow.”
Gausman — the No. 4 overall selection in the 2012 draft and signed a $4.32 million contract — improved his career record to 4-6 overall, as his three previous big league victories came in relief stints in 2013.
Orioles manager Buck Showalter had high praise for Gausman, who reportedly topped out at 99 mph on the radar gun.
“Kevin was good, really good,” Showalter said. “Got his feet on the ground. I thought Caleb (catcher Joseph) and him worked real well together. I wanted Caleb catching him today. He had caught him, obviously, in Norfolk.
“Good split, got enough breaking balls over to show a third pitch, established the inner half of the plate. He’s got pretty good stuff. He got in a couple situations and went and got another level, which was good to see.”
Gausman went 5-3 with a 4.41 ERA and 76 strikeouts in 52 1/3 innings as a senior for Grandview, then was selected in the sixth round of the 2010 MLB First-Year Player Draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Unable to agree to a suitable contract with the Dodgers, Gausman went on to play at Louisiana State and drastically improved his draft stock when he went 12-2 with a 2.77 ERA and 135 strikeouts in 123 2/3 innings as a sophomore.
— Courtney Oakes, Sports Editor