After allowing a homer on the first pitch, JR Ritchie shines in Braves debut

JR Ritchie’s first major league pitch was a home run, but the Braves prospect did not let the moment define his debut.

Ritchie allowed a homer to James Wood on the first pitch of his MLB career on April 23, then settled down to deliver seven innings of two-run ball in Atlanta’s 7-2 win over the Nationals.

He finished with five hits allowed, two walks and seven strikeouts. The victory was his first in the majors, and MLB’s game story noted that he became the first Braves starter to strike out seven over seven innings while allowing two runs or fewer in an MLB debut.

The outing was a strong answer after the early setback. Once Ritchie worked through the first-pitch homer, he controlled the game and gave Atlanta a needed quality start.

For the Braves, it was another positive result in a stretch that has them building momentum. For Ritchie, it was a debut that combined a rough opening with the kind of poise that can quickly build confidence.