A day after Williams Perez pitched five strong innings of one-run ball against the Rays, there was discussion not just about how well the Braves rookie pitched in his first major league start, but his exuberant spiking of the ball after completing a 3-6-1 double play with bases loaded to end the fourth inning with the score tied, 1-1.
The Braves won the Wednesday game, 2-1, to earn a split of the two-game series.
“I don’t know if it was a rushing touchdown or a pass in the end zone, but the spike was a good one,” Braves closer Jason Grilli said Thursday, laughing.
Perez, who turned 24 on Thursday, impressed folks on both sides of the field in his third major league appearance and first start. He allowed six hits and one walk with seven strikeouts, and worked out of big jams in the fourth and fifth innings, striking out the Rays’ Nos. 2-3 hitters on off-speed pitches with two runners on base in the fifth.
“He was pretty much as advertised,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “He had some run on his fastball and he really threw some big changeups in some big situations.”
As for the spike, “It was a very close inning right there and I just wanted to get out of it,” Perez said after Wednesday’s game, through a translator. “Making a double play there made me feel good.”
Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez was asked afterward about Perez’s spike.
“You like to see guys pitch with emotions and that kind of stuff,” Gonzalez said, smiling. “So it’s good. Let’s see how he learns from this and goes about his business, but so far he did a nice job.”
Shortstop Andrelton Simmons said, “I was happy we got out of the inning,” Simmons said. “It’s always good to see that excitement out of teammates. I was glad.”
Perez is expected to make his next start Monday against the Dodgers at Los Angeles in the first game of a 10-game trip.
