Ryan Dempster finally got his first win for the team that drafted him.
It only took 17 years.
"It's awesome," Dempster said with a wide smile strewn across his face after the 6-3 win in Boston. "I was drafted June 1, 1995 by the Texas Rangers, so I didn't think it would be that long before I got a win for them. It's a nice feeling."
Dempster was drafted by Texas in the 3rd round of the 1995 MLB Draft. On August 8th, 1996, Dempster was traded along with pitcher Rick Helling to the Florida Marlins for John Burkett before ever getting to play a game in Arlington.
Last week, the Rangers brought Dempster back in a trade minutes before the deadline with the Chicago Cubs.
After a not-so-impressive showing in his first game with Texas, Dempster dominated the Red Sox on Tuesday night to help lead the club to a 6-3 win, closing that 17-year gap in getting a win for the Rangers.
"There are a lot of emotions going into the first start and I didn't do a good job of executing pitches," Dempster said. "Today was a lot better than that. I'm glad to get out there and contribute from my end."
