Cam Devanney’s Unconventional Ending to His Unforgettable First Hit

Danny Demilio   |  

Sep 3, 2025

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PITTSBURGH – There was no need for Cam Devanney to pinch himself to make sure everything that’s happened the last few days hasn’t been a dream. 

The New Hampshire-native got to make his major-league debut in the historic Fenway Park, some 40 miles from where he grew up. In his second big-league game, Devanney faced future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw, which was his first game at PNC Park.

Then in his third game on Wednesday night, the 28-year-old rookie got the first hit of his career

“Just a marathon, it’s been surreal,” Devanney explained. “Everything I could have hoped for honestly. It’s been a crazy three days. I don’t even have words for it.”

Devanney went 0 for 3 with a walk in his first game in Boston. He followed that one by going hitless in four at-bats against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night. But he was able to breathe a sigh of relief in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 3-0 win over the Dodgers on Wednesday.

“Just incredible,” Devanney said on how it felt to get his first knock. “Three days in the big leagues to go without a hit is a really long time, just getting it out of the way is really awesome.”

With two outs in the second inning, Devanney hit a 1-1 slider from Dodgers starter Emmet Sheehan into left field, making him 1 for 8 to start his career. 

“I think it’s just reinforcing in your brain just slowing things down, nice and easy, taking it one pitch at a time and backing the ball up,” he explained. “That’s key for me.”

It was a long time coming for Devanney, who spent parts of six seasons in the minor-leagues before making his MLB debut, and he had to wait even longer for a chance to get his first hit.

Devanney had his contract selected by the Kansas City Royals from Triple-A Omaha on July 8 but didn’t appear in a game. The Pirates acquired him from the Royals during the All-Star break and optioned him to Triple-A Indianapolis right away.

But after being recalled by the Pirates on Saturday, he finally got his opportunity.

“When I think about all the effort it took to get here, it’s pretty cool,” he said.

Once a player records his first hit, the ball is typically taken out of play and given to the authenticator before it’s handed to the player following the game.

The player gets to do whatever he chooses with the ball. Some put it on the mantle or in their gameroom. Some give it to their parents. Unfortunately for Devanney, he won’t have the opportunity to do what he wants with the actual baseball from his first hit.

After the hit, home plate umpire Jacob Mentz threw a ball to Sheehan with the expectation the Dodgers’ starter would throw Devanney’s first-hit ball out of play. Unaware of what was happening, Sheehan decided to keep the ball he was using. An honest mistake, he said following the game. 

“I had no idea. I liked the ball I was throwing with, so I tried to keep it. And I had no idea that was his first hit,” Sheehan explained. “So I’m going to try and find Cam tomorrow and apologize and figure out a way to make it up to him. But yeah, it was completely unintentional.”

It wasn’t the happiest of endings to his first hit, but it’s still one Devanney will never forget, and one nobody can take away from him — figuratively at least.