TIJUANA- Tijuana native Jonathan Aranda made his debut in the Major Leagues with a one-run RBI single, who made his first appearance in the Major Leagues this Friday during the first game of the series that the Tampa Bay Rays played against the Pirates of Pittsburgh at Tropicana Field.
Aranda, who only this Tuesday received the call to the Major Leagues after passing through the Triple A branch of Tampa Bay, served as second baseman and was seventh in the batting order in the match that had to go into extra innings to define to the winner
It was in the second inning that Aranda had the opportunity to face starter Mitch Keller and after being down 0-2, the 24-year-old hit a ground ball to right field that allowed Luke Raley to escape to home plate. Rays won the match 4-3 in 10 innings.
Aranda, who had his parents and his girlfriend in the stands, became the 142nd Mexican to debut in Major League Baseball, as well as the 10th player from Tijuana to reach the Majors. In the team, the Tijuana native shares a team with former Toro Randy Arozarena and fellow Mexican Isaac Paredes.
The one from Tijuana is the first player born in Mexico to debut with the Tampa Bay Rays and is the eighteenth player from Baja California to reach the Major Leagues.
Aranda, who wears number 62, had two at-bats during the match and is the third player that Toros de Tijuana has exported to the Majors after the aforementioned Arozarena and Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk.
