Pestano says the magnitude of the moment at Progressive Field on Thursday did not hit him until after the game.
View full sizeVinnie Pestano worked a scoreless ninth inning in his major-league debut on Thursday.Clubhouse confidential: Indians reliever Vinnie Pestano kept waiting for the nerves that are supposed to accompany a major-league debut.
They never came.
Thursday night against the Royals, Pestano worked a scoreless ninth inning in the Tribe's 4-2 loss at Progressive Field.
"I tried to treat it as if it were any other outing, any other inning," he said. "That's how I felt going through it. I actually was calm. It was strange. Nothing was fluttering."
The right-handed Pestano got Mike Aviles to ground to the mound and caught dangerous Billy Butler looking at a 2-2 slider. Wilson Betemit walked, then Kila Ka'aihue flied to right.
Pestano, who had Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in 2006, said the magnitude of the moment did not hit him until after the game. He met with his parents, sister, high school coach and agent.
"It was really fun to share this with them," he said. "I realize that getting here is one thing, and staying here is a totally different thing. Right now, though, I feel like a little weight's been lifted."
After the game, Pestano was given the lineup card, the ball from the first out and the ball from his first strikeout, and he gave them to his parents.
Pestano was a Tribe mid-round draft pick in 2006 out of Cal State Fullerton. He went 1-2 with a 1.55 ERA and 14 saves for Class AAA Columbus this season.
Stat of the day: Tribe righty Fausto Carmona, who starts Sunday, is 12-14 with a 3.79 ERA in 31 starts. Last year at this time, he was 3-12 with a 6.81 ERA in 22 starts.
-- Dennis Manoloff