PITTSBURGH -- Steve Blass walked into the Pirates clubhouse on Sunday morning, made a quick right turn and found Nick Kingham sitting in front of his locker. Blass, the Pittsburgh pitcher turned broadcaster, shook Kingham's hand and gave the 26-year-old some advice a few hours before his Major League debut.
"Be yourself," Blass said.
On Sunday, that was more than enough.
Kingham carried a perfect game into the seventh inning before Paul DeJong's two-out single ended his bid for history. Still, Kingham could not have dreamed up a much better debut.