Baseball: Herrera thrilled with his debut performance

When Danny Ray Herrera struck out Pat Burrell looking Tuesday night, he didn't celebrate wildly.

He didn't pump his fist or scream or even crack a smile.

Rather, he walked off the mound as though the strikeout was just another night at the ballpark.

Herrera's strikeout of Burrell, though, was far from routine.

No, it was Herrera's debut in the major leagues, a dazzling one at that.

"I really didn't think about it until the next inning," Herrera said. "(Cincinnati manager) Dusty (Baker) shook my hand and I figured out that it was the best day of my life. I didn't want it to end."

Herrera, who was called up by the Cincinnati Reds on Monday night, worked a scoreless inning in Cincinnati's 3-2 loss to Philadelphia at Citizens Bank Ballpark.

He entered the game with runners at second and third and no outs.

After inducing a groundout from Shane Victorino, Herrera intentionally walked Chase Utley.

Up stepped Ryan Howard. The same man who has averaged 53 home runs the last two seasons.

"After walking Utley and seeing Ryan on deck, it wasn't the greatest sight," Herrera said, "but I understood why Dusty wanted to do it - to set up the double play."

Rather than be intimidated, Herrera struck him out swinging on a cut fastball.

He then caught Burrell looking at an 86 mph fastball, ending about as good of a debut as one could ask for.

"I threw the ball well in a tough spot," he said. "It was a great moment."

Herrera still has the ball and he will always have the memories, no matter if he ever pitches in the majors again.

Though after Tuesday's outing, that seems unlikely.

"I made a good first impression," Herrera said. "Hopefully they will keep putting me into tough spots and I will stay the rest of the year."

>> HERRERA'S DEBUT

Danny Ray Herrera faced two of the best hitters in Major League Baseball with the bases loaded and one out at Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Ballpark on Tuesday.

Here was his approach:

>> Ryan Howard: 2-2 count, Herrera gets Howard swinging on a cut fastball. Herrera threw a fastball that Howard fouled off on the previous pitch in the same location, so he put a bit of bend on the cut fastball and got Howard to swing over the top.

>> Pat Burrell: 2-2 count, Herrera gets Burrell looking on a fastball. Burrell had been fouling off changeups, so Herrera caught him looking for an offspeed pitch with an 86 mph fastball. Burrell didn't like the call and argued, but it was to no avail.