Prince George, B.C.'s Jared Young helps team win in his first Major League Baseball game - Action News
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British Columbia

Prince George, B.C.'s Jared Young helps team win in his first Major League Baseball game

Jared Young, 27, hit a double in his debut game Friday with the Chicago Cubs.

Young is first major league baseball player from northern B.C. city

A baseball player holds up his hands in celebration.
Chicago Cubs' Jared Young celebrates after hitting a double during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies in Chicago on Friday. (Paul Beaty/AP)

Jared Young, the first person from the northern B.C. city ofPrince George to play baseball in the majorshad a winning game Friday afternoon in his first Major League Baseball outing.

Young, an outfielder, hit a two-out double in the bottom of the eighth inning, which contributed totheChicago Cubs' defeat of the Colorado Rockies 2-1 at Chicago's Wrigley Field.

Young hasbeen working his way up from the team's minor affiliates in Iowa since he was drafted in 2017 before the Cubs called himup on Wednesday.

The teamannounced its selectionafter Young'sIowa Cubs teammate, Rafael Ortega, wasn't able to make it due to finger injuries.

At a news conference Friday, Young said he really enjoyed the experience of his debut major league game.

"[Wrigley Field] is probably the loudest, loudest building I have ever been in," he said. "That was pretty cool.That's a surreal day."

Jared Young pumps his fist in celebration.
Jared Young describes the experience of his debut major league game as 'surreal.' (Chicago Cubs/Twitter)

Family having a good time in Chicago

Young, 27, also mentioned that his eight family members including his parents and his elder brother Tanner had fun travelling overnight from Prince George to Chicago to watch the game.

"I'm sure they had a good time," he said.

Broadcast video released by the Chicago Cubs showshis family and friends celebrating in the stands after he made his first hit.

Young's mother Dana said she was "beyond excited" and "speechless" when she first heard the Cubs had decided to call her son up.

She praised his tenacity and determination and said as a child he had always worked hard shadowing his brother to hone his baseball skills.

"He's never had a summer that he has not been in the ballpark," she said on Thursday before flying to Chicago. "He was always trying to keep up with everything."

The Chicago Cubs and the Colorado Rockies still have two games to play this weekend.

Dana said she will be watching.

"I can watch my kid every single day playing ball," she said. "I'm so proud of him."

Cole Waldie, the communications director of the Prince George Cougars junior hockey team, said he first met Young through baseball at the age of nine, and they have been friends since.

Waldiedescribed Youngas a leader who always puts his teammates before himself and saidhis victory on Friday was "the coolest sporting accomplishment" for Prince George.

"No one's really been close to doing it from the north it's very rare," he said. "I'm not sure if that'll be replicated in a long time, so [it's]just a really cool moment."


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With files from Jason Peters