Tanner Scheppers Ks Two, Surrenders HR In ML Debut

The Texas Rangers got their first look at Tanner Scheppers on Thursday night, and it was something of a mixed bag, with a few highlights and one kind of memorable low-light.

Scheppers replaced Yu Darvish in the sixth, with one out and runners on first and second, and got out of the jam with relative ease. He struck out Josh Reddick and got Collin Cowgill to fly out to right to end the frame. Sheppers then retired the first two hitters he faced in the seventh (and earned his second strikeout of the night) before surrendering a towering home run to Brandon Moss.

The 44th overall pick of the 2009 Draft got out of the seventh with no further damage after the home run, and was generally happy with his debut--1 2/3 IP, 1 ER and 2 Ks.

"I'm just happy it came and I am blessed that they had the faith in me to give me an opportunity," said Scheppers, per the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "Everybody has different paths. Mine just happened to be this way."