A rain delay lengthened rookie starting pitcher Jackson Wolf's Major League Baseball debut as the 24-year-old had plenty of time to reflect on a rough stretch in the second inning.
After making an impressive four-pitch appearance in the first inning, Wolf let up three runs in the second right before a rainstorm caused the game to be delayed for almost 90 minutes.
"I had a moment there for a second where I was like, 'Alright, this will be a cool story. I get to say during my debut there was a rain delay," Wolf said after the game.
Despite getting off to a rough start, Wolf completed 5 innings, allowing 6 hits, 3 earned runs, and getting one strikeout. The Padres offense heated up after the rain delay, batting in 10 runs by the end of the fifth inning.
"I'm very glad it turned into a five-inning outing and not one-point-something and three runs," Wold said. "I feel very happy. I learned a lot about myself and the game and the team. Still taking it all in, to be honest."
San Diego went on to win 14-3.
After play was suspended with the Tigers holding a 1-0 lead, Wolf was confident that he would make a return to the mound after the delay.
"There was no doubt in my mind," Wolf said. "The only people that were gonna say otherwise were [Padres pitching coach] either Ruben (Nibela) or [Padres manager] Bob (Melvin). I would have gone back out there if it was three or four hours later. ... I wanted every bit of going back out there and proving why I was here."
Wolf's resilience did not go unnoticed, as he made sure to stay loose during the delay by throwing in the batting cage.
"He had to endure probably more than most do in his first big-league start and big-league win," Melvin said. "So congrats to him."
It is unknown when Wolf will make his next start, but likely that, whenever it is, he'll be ready.
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