Connelly Early was right on time.
The Boston Red Sox rookie left-handed pitcher made his MLB debut on Tuesday night, and it could hardly have gone better.
Early went five scoreless innings against the Athletics in Sacramento, striking out 11 while allowing just five hits and one walk.
He tied Don Aase for the Boston franchise record for strikeouts in an MLB debut, which Aase set in 1977, according to MLB.com.
Early had a 2.60 ERA in the minors this season before his promotion, which came in part because of an elbow injury to Dustin May. Early is ranked the No. 6 prospect in Boston's system by MLB Pipeline.
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He apparently is on a strikeout kick, too.
In Early's most recent minor league start, he struck out a career-best 10 batters. And now he upped the ante in his MLB debut to the 11 punchouts.
According to MLB.com, Early never reached 11 strikeouts in a college game at either Army or Virginia, either.
And he got Ks with five different pitches, too.
Early was very business-like after the game.
“Hasn’t really settled in too much yet, but we won the game, and that’s what I want to do every single day I go out there to pitch, no matter where it is,” he told reporters.
The Red Sox hit two homers in the top of the first to give Early some cushion.
Boston is in the thick of the AL East race once again, and thanks to this start from Early, they've still got time to make up the gap to first-place Toronto.
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