Former Tiger Jason Berken to Start for Baltimore Orioles Tonight

May 26, 2009

Clemson, SC – Former Clemson pitcher Jason Berken will make his Major League debut Tuesday night when he is the starting pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles against the Toronto Blue Jays in Baltimore. The game will start at 7:05 PM.

Berken had been with the Orioles AAA team in Norfolk, VA and had a 2-0 record with a 1.05 ERA. Last year he posted a 12-4 mark with the Orioles AA team in Bowie, MD.

Berken will be the first member of Clemson’s 2006 team to reach the Major Leagues. That Tiger team finished fifth in the final polls with a 53-16 record and won the ACC Championship. Ten players off that Clemson team were drafted.

Berken pitched at Clemson during the 2003, 2004 and 2006 seasons. He helped the Tigers to the College World Series in 2006 when he had nine wins to tie for the team lead. He paced Clemson’s 2003 and 2004 NCAA tournament teams in ERA. For his career he had an 18-6 record with a 3.04 ERA and had 156 strikeouts in 186 2/3 innings. He was a sixth round draft choice of the Orioles in June of 2006.

Berken will be the second former Tiger pitcher to make his Major League debut this year. Tony Sipp, who played at Clemson in 2004, made his debut with the Cleveland Indians on April 22 against Kansas City and set down the Royals in order in his one inning of work. Sipp has pitched in nine games this year.