Current Events > STL Cardinals pitcher Daniel Poncedeleon makes history in emotional debut start.

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://deadspin.com/daniel-poncedeleon-will-make-his-major-league-debut-14-1827797031

Cardinals pitcher Daniel Poncedeleon will be called up by St. Louis today and start tonights game against the Reds, making his big-league debut little more than a year after an injury suffered on the mound put his careerand maybe his lifein jeopardy. Talk about a comeback story, new Cards manager Mike Shildt said, understating things.

Poncedeleon was starting for the AAA Memphis Redbirds when on May 9, 2017, he was struck by a line drive back up the middle. The ball hit Poncedeleon on the right temple, and while he remained conscious and waved to the crowd as he was stretchered off the field, doctors quickly diagnosed a fracture and an epidural hematoma, or bleeding on the brain. Emergency surgery was necessary to relieve the pressure, and intensive rehab was required just to get back into something resembling a normal life, let alone baseball.

I cant even imagine what he dealt with, Shildt said, and there for a while it was touch and go just from a lifestyle standpoint, quality of life for him. To be so dogmatic with his mindset that, Im going to pitch again and Im going to pitch in the big leagues. Were going to see that sooner than later. Its impressive.

https://mlb.nbcsports.com/2018/07/23/in-progress-daniel-poncedeleon-working-on-no-hitter-vs-reds-in-major-league-debut/

Cardinals starter Daniel Poncedeleon made his major league debut on Monday night against the Reds in Cincinnati. Hes pitched quite well, holding the Reds hitless through seven innings. The right-hander has walked three and struck out three on 116 pitches. The high pitch count makes it highly unlikely Poncedeleon will be allowed to finish his no-hit bid. The Cards offense gave Poncedeleon a run of support in the top of the sixth thanks to an RBI single by Yadier Molina. Reds starter Luis Castillo has otherwise pitched quite well himself.

Unfortunately, as I was creating this topic, relief pitcher Jordan Hicks gave up the first Reds hit of the game in the bottom of the 8th inning. But despite the no-hitter not being completed, this night will always be remembered in baseball lore as the night that Daniel Poncedeleon came back from a brain injury and pitched the game of his life.
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Bump.

The Cardinals bullpen blows the game, losing 2-1 in a walk-off. The night may not have ended on a positive note, but that doesn't take away from what this rookie accomplished.
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Maybe that hit on the head gave him super powers and made him into a super pitcher

I hate the Cardinals, but that's neat. Good for that kid.
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