Ryan Tucker is a Major Leaguer

Tucker wins debut as Marlins roll
Rookie righty wild but impressive in first Major League victory
By Alden Gonzalez / MLB.com
MIAMI - The Marlins may have just found a new arm.
On Friday night, Ryan Tucker got word that he was being brought up from Double-A Carolina and would start the third of a four-game series against the Reds. The 6-foot-2 right-hander remembers pacing around his house all of Saturday trying to calm himself down because he was so worried about how well he would do.
After five solid innings on Sunday, Tucker's anxiety was put to rest.
The California native allowed just one run on two hits, and the Marlins pounded out 13 hits en route to a 9-2 win in front of 12,444 at Dolphin Stadium. After dropping eight of 10 games, the Marlins have now won two straight riding a high from Cody Ross' game-winning homer on Saturday.
Tucker will take Burke Badenhop's spot in the rotation -- for now -- and start again on Friday against the Rays.
"He mixed his pitches and he pitched well -- he really did," Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "He pitched inside, wasn't afraid. We'll see what happens five days from now if he could do it again.
"It was a tough 10-day stretch, and then we won some ballgames like we did last night. But we were able to come out [Sunday], pitch pretty decently and swing the bats."
After the game, with a media circle around him, Gonzalez handed Tucker the scorecard from his first Major League win. Tucker -- whose parents, sister and girlfriend came to the game -- threw his fastball in the low- to mid-90s, topping out at 95 mph twice. He used his changeup as a secondary alternative and made one pitch he probably wished he could've had back -- a 3-2, get-me-over fastball to opposing pitcher Aaron Harang that resulted in a two-out, RBI single in the second inning.
"I was still a little nervous in the first two innings, but I did what I can to settle down and control the walks," said Tucker, who left after throwing 89 pitches -- 45 for strikes -- and walking five. "I just told myself to relax, take a deep breath and make pitches.
"I'm going to stay as long as they want me, and hopefully, I could keep giving them wins."
Tucker was taken by the Marlins as a compensation pick following the first round of the 2005 First-Year Player Draft. After posting a 4.45 ERA in his first three years in the Minor Leagues, the California native broke out in a big way with the Mudcats this season, going 4-2 in 12 starts with a Southern League-leading 1.41 ERA.
"He pitched with his fastball most of the five innings," Gonzalez said. "I would be stupid to say that he wasn't nervous. ... I get nervous every game. But I don't think he showed it."
Florida made sure it provided plenty of support for the rookie.
After going through a brutal slump in May, Hanley Ramirez continued his recent surge by going deep twice and knocking in four runs. Ramirez is riding a six-game hitting streak and now has 14 home runs on the year.
"I've just kept my mind on the game, and if I can't do it with the bat, I try to do it on defense," Ramirez said about his thought process through the slump. "I've been a little more patient at the plate. Hopefully, I can just keep it going."
The Marlins lit up Harang for eight runs (seven earned) on 11 hits in 5 1/3 innings. After picking up a run in each of the third and fourth innings, the Marlins opened it up in the bottom of the fifth with a two-run homer by Ramirez and a two-run double by Dan Uggla. In the sixth, the Marlins' double-play combo came through again, leading to three runs from Ramirez's second two-run homer and an Uggla sacrifice fly.
"We swung the bats good today," Gonzalez said. "We were able to add runs in the game, and we pitched well. When you have that combination, you have a good chance to win ballgames."
Joe Nelson, Justin Miller and Kevin Gregg combined to throw four innings of one-run ball out of the bullpen to close the game.
Wes Helms made his second straight start for Mike Jacobs even though Jacobs -- a left-handed hitter -- might have benefitted from the Reds' righty starter. Gonzalez and Jacobs both said the first baseman is not being bothered by a left quad injury that hampered him earlier this season.