Top pitching prospect Jonah Tong was impressive in his MLB debut Friday night, striking out six Marlins over five strong innings and got beyond enough help from the Mets' offense en route to a 19-9 win.
The 22-year-old was all smiles after earning his first major league victory, in which he allowed one earned run on six hits with no walks, and showed some resilience in tough situations with runners on base. When asked by reporters what the experience on the big stage was like, Tong couldn't hold back his excitement.
"Insane," Tong said. "I mean, that's everything I've ever dreamed of as a kid growing up and to see it unfold like that, it's insane. It's the only word I can really describe it as."
Tong then joked that the team scoring 12 runs over the first two innings of the game may have helped calm any nerves he had.
"I'm never really going to complain about run support and that was insane, but no, that just made pitching easier on my part," Tong said.
New York would go on to score the most runs (19) in team history at home, but seven came after Tong's night was done. He finished by striking out Liam Hicks looking to escape a rocky fifth inning. The righty called the moment a "blur" and added that the feeling continued as he walked off the field with the fans cheering.
"Yeah that last pitch I don't even think I remember everything, not a blur after," Tong said. "It was one of those [moments] I really couldn't hear myself talk, which is a new one. The fans are amazing."
He added: "I couldn't really feel my feet."
While still riding high from the win, Tong acknowledged there is lots of room for improvement with his next outing.
"I'm happy with it all things considered, but I do think there's work to be done moving forward," Tong said. "Excited for that. But I'm really enjoying the moment."
Manager Carlos Mendoza clarified that Tong will make another start with the team transitioning to a six-man rotation for the time being. The pitcher laughed with reporters when being told that news, but he knows there could be a lot more in store for him if things continue to go well.
"Sweet," Tong said. "Take it one day at a time, but that's awesome to hear."
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