by Danny Redell

Stephen Strasburg warms up during his Minor League debut at Metro Bank Park in Harrisburg.

On Saturday, April 17, Stephen Strasburg made his first home start as a Harrisburg Senator. This game was planned to start at 7 o’clock, but it turned into a night that Strasburg will most likely never forget. The game had a lot of hype because Strasburg was the first pick of the 2009 draft. The line was backed up all the way across a bridge in front of the stadium into the city of Harrisburg. The parking garage was filled and there was a long wait time for any parking place.

The rain was falling hard and they had to delay the game for an hour and a half. So, when it came time to start taking the tarp off the field, it started to rain again. Before they could uncover the field, they were pulling the tarp back on top of the field again. The game was delayed for a while longer and they tried pulling the tarp off one more time.  Once again, it started pouring again, and they covered the field for another hour.

The first pitch did not happen until 10 o’clock at night. Strasburg took 3 pitches to strike the first player out. The crowd went crazy. Strasburg went 2 and 1/3 innings before the game was put on yet another rain delay. In the 2 and 1/3 innings he pitched, he gave up 2 hits, he gave up one unearned run, and he got 3 strikeouts.

Overall his first start as a Harrisburg Senator was really good. He looked like he deserved the first pick in last year’s draft. He did a really good job in winning over the fans and getting them pumped up for all of his future starts.