O?Connor, from Howard County, began the 2005 season with a record of 0-6 as a pitcher for the Class A Potomac Nationals of the Carolina League.
“He could have gotten easily discouraged,” said Mike Toomey, a scout for the Washington Nationals. Thursday night, the left-handed pitcher made his Major League debut on the mound at St. Louis against Albert Pujols and the Cardinals.
O?Connor took the loss after a solid outting, lasting five inning giving up three hits. While he gave up four walks and three runs (none earned), he did strike out two.
“It was a totally different world,” O?Connor said Wednesday, of starting this season with Class AAA New Orleans. “I had a rough first half” last season.
O?Connor was told Tuesday by New Orleans manager Tim Foli, who played against the Orioles in the 1979 World Series with Pittsburgh, that he was being called up to Washington.
O?Connor graduated from George Washington University in 2002 with a degree in finance.
