(Story by Marco Stoovelaar)
  Carter Kieboom homers in first at bat in Major League-comeback
Nederlands
 THE BRONX / NEW YORK, New York (USA) -
Infielder Carter Kieboom returned into Major League-action on Tuesday-evening (August 22), as he was the starting third baseman for Washington Nationals in the opening-game of a 3-game series at New York Yankees.
He immediately made his presence known, as he homered in his first at bat.
For the 25-year old Kieboom, this was his first Major League-game since October 3, 2021.
On that day, Washington played at home against Boston Red Sox and lost 7-5.
Back then, Kieboom also was the third baseman and was 1-for-3 with a walk.
In March 2022, Kieboom was sidelined with an arm-injury and then underwent Tommy John-surgery two months later and missed the entire 2022 season.
Before the start of the current season, Kieboom played in one Spring Training-game for Washington, got two at bats and scored a run.
At the end of March, the infielder was placed on the Injured List with a shoulder-injury.
Early May, he returned to the field and played for Rochester Red Wings (Triple-A), but he was placed on the Injured List again on June 20.
Eleven days later, Kieboom began a rehab assignment witth Wilmington Blue Rocks (Single-A) and then rejoined the Triple-A team on August 8.
Last Sunday, Kieboom was recalled to the Major League-team of Washington, but didn't play then.
On that day, Washington played against Philadelphia Phillies in what was the annual Little League Classic played at Muncy Bank Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field in Williamport, Pennsylvania, the site of the Little League World Series.
Washington had no game scheduled on Monday.
So far this season, Kieboom played in 44 Minor League-games, including 34 for Rochester Red Wings in Triple-A.
He also played for Harrisburg Senators (four games, Double-A) and Wilmington Blue Rocks (six games, Single-A).
In those 44 games, Kieboom batted .256 (43-for-168) with six doubles, one triple and six homeruns and 25 RBI's.
On Tuesday-evening, Carter Kieboom got his first at bat when he led off the third inning, facing Yankees-starter Carlos Rodón.
After the first pitch was low for a ball, Kieboom connected well on the next delivery by Rodón and drove it into left-centerfield for a homerun in what was his first Major League-at bat since October 2021.
Moments later, in the bottom of the third, catcher Ben Rortvedt led off for New York with a homerun to tie the score.
Kieboom popped out in his second at bat in the fifth inning.
In the eighth, Kieboom struckout to become the second out.
CJ Abrams followed him in the battter's box and homered down the rightfield-line to put Washington ahead, 2-1.
Kieboom was replaced after the eighh inning.
2-1 also was the final score.
New York recorded only two basehits and suffered its ninth consecutive loss.
At the moment, New York is in last place in the American League East.
Carter Kieboom made his Major League-debut in 2019 playing in eleven games for Washington and batted 5-for-39, which included two homeruns.
In his first Major League-game, he struckout, then grounded out, but in his third at bat, Kieboom belted a homerun for his first Major League-basehit.
Kieboom appeared in 33 games for Washington during the 2020 season, hittting 20-for-99 with one double and nine runs batted in.
In the following season, Kieboom became a more regular player since being added to the team towards the end of July after having played in two games in April.
Kieboom eventually played in 62 games and collected 45 basehits, including six doubles and six homeruns, batting in twenty runs and scoring 26.
Carter's brother Spencer Kieboom played in 53 Major League-games for Washington as a catcher in 2016 (one game) and 2018 (52 games), hitting .232 with 29 basehits, including two homeruns.
Spencer last played professsionally in 2019 when he appeared in 52 games for the Double-A team of Washington.
He became a Free Agent after the 2019 season.
Both Carter and Spencer were eligible to play for the Netherlands Baseball Team, as their father Alswinn Kieboom is from the Netherlands where he played some seasons in the Dutch big league and also played in the Netherlands National Juniors Team.
In 2013, Spencer was on the preliminary roster of the Netherlands for the World Baseball Classic.
(August 22)
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