Neal excited to make first start

SEATTLE — Zach Neal got his first taste of the Major Leagues in a hostile environment on May 11. He pitched three innings for the A’s at Fenway Park in his debut and gave up three runs.

On Wednesday, the right-hander will make his first Major League start, and it won’t be in a particularly forgiving environment either.

Neal, who was recalled from Triple-A Nashville to start in place of injured staff ace Sonny Gray, gets the ball on the road against the Mariners and will face a club that’s been in or near first place in the American League West for a few weeks.

But Neal said he’ll just try to focus on what he’s been doing in Nashville to the tune of a 5-1 record, a 2.53 ERA and an opponents’ batting average of .225. Also, he’ll be a starter again, which is what he’s been for his entire career save that Boston appearance to save a beleaguered bullpen in the midst of a 13-3 loss.

“It’s really exciting,” said Neal, a Dallas native whose parents, Quin and Kim, were at the game in Boston and will be at the game in Seattle. “It’s what I’ve been waiting for a long time, and hopefully I’ll take advantage of it and do the job that needs to be done.”

Neal said he’s not going to make anything bigger out of this one game and he’s not going to try …

continue reading in source mlb.mlb.com