Thrown into the fire, Cornelio takes loss in debut
The Nationals entrusted the late innings of a close game to Riley Cornelio in his MLB debut, then watched him take the loss to the White Sox
CHICAGO – Holding back tears, keeping his words to a minimum, Riley Cornelio tried to describe the emotions he was feeling after making his MLB debut for the Nationals tonight.
“Really let down,” the 25-year-old right-hander said, his eyes welling up. “I want to win.”
The Nationals hoped Cornelio would be part of a win tonight, a big part. They entrusted the rookie with a one-run lead in the seventh inning, a high-leverage situation for a career starter who had never even experienced something like that in the minor leagues. And then, after he gave the White Sox the lead in the seventh and after watching Brady House tie the game back up with a homer the following inning, they entrusted him to pitch the eighth as well.
Cornelio fared no better the second time around, giving up the decisive run in the Nats’ 5-4 loss at Rate Field.
It all made for an uncomfortable scene both during and after the game, with Cornelio trying to hold it together both on the mound and in the clubhouse, especially after being informed he was being optioned back to Triple-A Rochester following his debut appearance.
