Noah Cameron’s Phenomenal Debut: Carries No-Hitter Into 7th

25-year-old Noah Cameron made his Major League debut on Wednesday night for the Kansas City Royals. He dazzled on the mound, taking a no-hitter into the 7th inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at George M. Steinbrenner Field. It was a dream come true, twirling the ball for the team he grew up rooting for.

Cameron Dazzles In Debut

Cameron pitched masterfully for 6.1 innings in front of family and friends, solidifying a lifelong achievement. Ranked as the No. 5 prospect in the Royals organization, he was making a spot start for the injured Cole Ragans, and what a pitcher to channel for your first career appearance. 

He kept the Rays off the board for the entire game, working around five walks and an error from second baseman Cavan Biggio. He also had some stellar defense from superstar Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., who made an amazing play on a hard-hit ball from Jose Caballero. While showcasing all four of his pitches, he recorded three strikeouts, two with his curveball and one with his slider, a new pitch he has been working on.

Cameron faced 25 batters without allowing a hit until Curtis Mead stood in in the bottom of the 7th. He smashed a first-pitch slider barely past the outstretched glove of  Third Baseman Maikel Garcia. After that 79th pitch and only hit of the night against him, Cameron exited to a raucous ovation from the crowd. They were behind him every pitch of the way. 

The only no-hitter thrown during a Major League debut came in 1892 from Bumpus Jones. Cameron was only eight outs away from making history.

How the Royals Are Looking

The Royals have been a little stagnant in the first month of the new season. They are currently sitting in third place in the American League Central, one game over .500 at 16-15. They are only three games behind the first-place Detroit Tigers. 

Witt Jr. has been the only one making a real impact with a .322 batting average and .863 OPS. Garcia has made flashes of prominence, but everyone else is sluggish. Their pitching has been decent, with Kris Bubic making the most impact, but Lucas Erceg and Carlos Estévez have been carrying a strong bullpen.