CHICAGO – Vladimir Gutierrez made the most of his first opportunity to pitch in the Major Leagues, but the Cincinnati Reds offense couldn’t say the same for their opportunities Friday.
Teammates and coaches told Gutierrez to enjoy the moment in his big-league debut at Wrigley Field. It's a special day for all players. A childhood dream achieved. All the years of hard work finally paid off.
No matter how Gutierrez pitched, it would've been a day that he would never forget. But he performed well enough in a 1-0 loss to the Chicago Cubs that the people can't wait to see more from him.
"I was starting to get messages from friends and family that were really supportive of me," Gutierrez said afterward, according to team interpreter Jorge Merlos. "Those messages really just brought me to think, 'Wow, I did a really good job.' I didn't really know if I should cry, smile or laugh at the messages."
Gutierrez permitted two hits and two walks across five innings, striking out three. His only mistake was a solo homer that he surrendered to David Bote in the fifth inning, a pitch that caught way too much of the plate.
He admitted he was a little nervous for his first few pitches, but he didn't show it. With his wife, son and mother in the crowd of 18,478, he didn't allow a hit until the fourth inning – an infield single by Javier Báez.
