The wait is over, Thompson steps in for D-Braves

Before the announcement was even made over the loud speakers, the crowd began to stand up and cheer as the 6-foot-6 right-hander trotted in from the Danville Braves’ bullpen in right field at Dan Daniel Park.

Jacob Thompson got a roaring ovation as the Danville native made his professional debut in the top of the seventh inning Monday night in the D-Braves’ 7-3 victory over the Bristol Sox.

“That was awesome,” Thompson recalled. “I would have tipped my hat to the crowd, but I was so nervous that I kind of froze like a deer in headlights. I really didn’t know what to do.”

Thompson, however, certainly lived up to the hype.

His debut inning was about as efficient as a pitcher could be — he threw only seven pitches. One pitch to Bristol’s Juan Silverio ended in a groundout to shortstop. Pitch No. 2 was bounced right back to Thompson in front of the mound, and the 6-foot-6 right-hander fielded the play with ease and got Jedon Matthews out at first.

“He was comfortable out there,” D-Braves pitching coach Derrick Lewis said. “He didn’t look like he was nervous out there to me.”

Thompson’s first three pitches to Andrew Garcia were outside, but Thompson battled back with an uncontested strike down the middle before getting Garcia to line out to left to end the inning.

“Since it was my first time out, I knew I was going to be nervous and a little wild,” Thompson said. “But I just tried to throw strikes the whole time out there. I didn’t want to walk anyone. I wanted to let them put it in play.”

Thompson returned to the mound in the eighth inning. He got John Kateon to ground out to shortstop before recording his first career strikeout with a high fastball inside that Jose Vargas couldn’t catch up to. Kenneth Gilbert grounded out to the shortstop to end the inning.

“I think everyone here in Danville was anxiously awaiting his debut,” D-Braves manager Paul Runge said with a chuckle. “They got a chance to see a pretty good show. He faced six hitters and went six up and six down.”

It had been a long wait for Thompson to finally take the mound again in an actual game. His last outing was during the NCAA regionals when the University of Virginia played UCLA on May 30. Virginia was eliminated two games later, and the next week Thompson was drafted by Atlanta in the fifth round — 160th overall. Thompson, however, didn’t reach an agreement with the Braves for almost two months and he didn’t join the team until Aug. 4. Since then, Thompson has been waiting for his chance to play as he’s gone through the organization’s throwing program.

“I’ve been wearing the uniform and I’ve been chomping at the bit to get out there,” Thompson said

Thompson finally got his wish on Saturday, when he was told by the coaching staff that he’d pitch in relief during Monday’s game.

“Actually he was pretty sharp tonight,” Lewis said. “He threw strikes and everything had good action on it.”

Thompson will get his first start on Thursday at home against Elizabethton at 7 p.m.

“For the people I didn’t get to see, I really want to thank them for coming out to support me,” Thompson said after signing autographs for more than 10 minutes following the game. “It was great tonight. It was the best crowd I’ve ever pitched in front of.”

And the crowd was certainly there to see him. When Thompson didn’t go out to pitch the ninth inning, a number of fans exited the stands.

“You could tell he had the hometown on his side,” Lewis said. “When he came out of the game, everybody left. I think it’s obvious who they paid to come see.”

During his junior season at the University of Virginia this spring, Thompson went 6-4 with a 4.30 earned run average and 70 strikeouts in 15 starts. It was a below par season compared to his sophomore year, when he was 11-0 with a 1.50 ERA and 101 strikeouts and was a unanimous first-team All-American. The rough season likely contributed to him slipping to the fifth round of this year’s draft.

As a freshman at Virginia, Thompson was a second-team All-ACC selection after going 10-4 with a 2.60 ERA and 77 strikeouts. After his sophomore season, he played for the U.S. National team and pitched in the Pan Am Games, where he won a silver medal.

Thompson is the second pitcher to play pro baseball off Tunstall’s back-to-back Group AA state championship teams in 2004 and 2005. Will Inman was drafted in the third round in the 2005 draft by the Milwaukee Brewers and is currently pitching with the San Diego Padres’ Double-A affiliate in San Antonio.

HOW THEY SCORED

BOTTOM OF THE FIRST: After an L.V. Ware strikeout, Joel Campusano reached on a high-chopping infield single. He moved to second on a wild pitch by Bristol left-hander Garrett Johnson. Jon Gilmore drove Campusano home on a single up the middle. Gerardo Rodriguez drew a walk, advancing Gilmore to second base. Chris Shehan followed with an RBI double off the wall in right-center, scoring Gilmore and moving Rodriguez to third. Matt Kennelly then walked to load the bases. Chais Fuller drove in Rodriguez and Shehan with a double in the right-center gap, and Kennelly advanced to third. Camilo Parra struck out looking. Jesus Sucre grounded out to third, leaving two on base. Danville 4, Bristol 0

BOTTOM OF THE SECOND: Ware singled up the middle. He moved to second on Campusano’s single through the left side. Ware then stole third base. Gilmore brought home Ware with a groundout to second base, and Campusano safely advanced to second. Rodriguez struck out. Shehan drove in Campusano with a double off the center field wall. Kennelly’s fly ball to left-center was dropped by Jordan Kendall, allowing Shehan to score and Kennelly to move to second. Fuller struck out to end the threat. Danville 7, Bristol 0

TOP OF THE FOURTH: Andrew Garcia drew a leadoff walk. After a strikeout, Jose Vargas singled to left, moving Garcia to second. Kenneth Gilbert blooped a single into right field, loading the bases. Kevin Dubler’s sacrifice fly to center scored Garcia. Brandon Short struck out. Danville 7, Bristol 1

TOP OF THE SIXTH: John Kateon singled to right. After a Vargas strikeout and a Gilbert single, Dubler drove in Kateon and GIlbert with a double to center field. Short struck out. Tavarez flied out to left. Danville 7, Bristol 3

NEWS & NOTES

Danville, which got on the board first Monday night, is 21-5 when it scores a run before its opponent this season. … D-Braves pitchers Matt Timms and Adam Bullard were promoted to Single-A Rome over the weekend. Timms, a right-hander, was 1-1 with a 2.45 earned run average in seven games this season with the D-Braves. Bullard, a right-hander, was 1-1 with a 4.09 ERA in 11 relief appearances this season with Danville. … Left-handed pitcher J.J. Hoover, the Braves’ 10th-round draft pick out of Calhoun (Ala.) Community College, joined the team.