Teen phenom Konnor Griffin delivered a clutch performance, doubling and driving in a run to help the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Baltimore Orioles 5-4 in a home opener victory on Friday.
PITTSBURGH – Konnor Griffin admitted that he couldn’t have scripted his ballyhooed major-league debut any better.
The 19-year-old shortstop went 1 for 3, doubling in his first plate appearance, with an RBI and a walk, on Friday to help the Pittsburgh Pirates edge the Baltimore Orioles 5-4 in their home opener at PNC Park. Griffin was still in pinch-me mode over half an hour after the game.
"A special day made even better by the win," Griffin said. "It was everything I dreamed of."
Griffin received a rousing ovation from the sellout crowd during pregame ceremonies. The fans grew even louder when he lined a two-out double into the left-center gap to drive in the game’s first run in a four-run second inning. He then hustled home on Jared Triolo’s single.
Griffin fell behind in the count 0-2 when he swung through two curveballs from Kyle Bradish, but still came through. Before the crowd erupted after the double, the fans were quiet when Griffin stepped into the batter’s box.
"I was up there trying to compete,” Griffin said. “I feel like that's the goal, to kind of make it sound like that every time you get in the box, just focus on the pitcher and go compete. I didn't really hear the silence, but it was special walking up to the plate, hearing the fans go crazy, that was awesome."
The Pirates (4-3) won their third straight game as Griffin became the first teenager to reach base twice in his major-league debut since Jurickson Profar in 2012 with the Texas Rangers. The last Pirates player to do so was Bobby Del Greco in 1952.
Griffin has made a meteoric rise since Pittsburgh selected him ninth overall in the 2024 draft as a high school player from Flowood, Miss. Griffin made his professional debut at the start of last season and hit .333 with 21 home runs and 65 stolen bases in 122 games, playing at both Class A levels and then Double-A.
Griffin has agreed to a nine-year, $140-million contract expected to be finalized next week. Anticipation was high for his debut after word broke Thursday that he would be promoted following just five games at Triple-A Indianapolis.
"I didn't talk to him much," Pirates manager Don Kelly said about his brief meeting with Griffin before the game. "I just told him to be himself and have fun. With that atmosphere, anyone could get anxious, but he was cool, calm, and collected. It was really impressive."
The middle game of the three-game series is on Saturday with Carmen Mlodzinski (0-0, 4.15 ERA) pitching for the Pirates against Shane Baz (0-0, 6.75), who was the Pirates' first-round pick in the 20`17 draft.
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