Sonnanstine Makes Major League Debut
6/5/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Toronto, Ontario - Exactly three years after his final game in a college uniform, former Kent State standout Andy Sonnanstine made his major league debut Tuesday night (June 5) with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. After a very successful stint as a starting pitcher in the minor leagues, Sonnanstine was recently called up from Triple-A Durham and was given the task of opposing Blue Jays' ace Roy Halladay on Tuesday.
The 23-year-old, right-hander responded by hurling seven full innings and put himself in line for a victory, before the Blue Jays erased a five-run deficit in the bottom of the ninth. Sonnanstine finished with five strikeouts, no walks and out-dueled a former Cy Young award winner.
Three years ago, Sonnanstine led the Golden Flashes to a 2004 MAC Tournament title, earned a victory over Notre Dame in NCAA Regional competition and was drafted by Tampa Bay in the 14th round, all in the span of a month.
Last year, Sonnanstine was named Southern League (Double-A) Right-Handed Pitcher of the Year after helping the Montgomery Biscuits to a league championship.
