Son of a Litsch

What a night it was for young Jesse Litsch. The Jays prospect was called up from double-A New Hampshire to start in his first major league game and looked like he’d been around the league for years. Litsch went 8 2/3 innings and gave up only 4 hits. He pitched so well that when manager John Gibbons walked towards the mound to give him the hook after walking Miguel Tejada, Gibbons was booed for making the call to the ‘pen. Jeremy Accardo came in for the one-out save but it was clear the kid might’ve been able to get that final out in the win.

It was also a special day for Litsch’s father, who flew up from Florida, somehow without a passport, to watch his son pitch on the day he was celebrating his 57th birthday. It must certainly have been the best present he’s ever received to watch his flesh and blood flourish on a grand stage like this.

It certainly couldn’t have been worse than the gift Vernon Wells gave him after the game. After giving the rookie the classic pie treatment, Wells also gave the birthday boy a taste as well; leaving both father and son with pie on their faces.