After overpowering opponents across two minor-league levels this year, Canadian right-hander Jonah Tong looked like he belonged in his major league debut Friday.
The Markham, Ont., native cruised through his first four innings before facing turbulence in the fifth. Ultimately, Tong allowed only one earned run, striking out six while walking none over five innings, but another three unearned runs came around to score.
The 22-year-old started his big-league career with a 1-2-3 inning, setting down the top of the Marlins order with three soft-contact outs on only six pitches. The Marlins’ No. 2 and 3 hitters, rookie standouts Jakob Marsee and Augustín Ramírez, each flew out on first-pitch fastballs pumped right down the middle to end the first.
Tong threw 97 pitches, inducing seven whiffs