Clint Frazier launches home run in first game in majors

HOUSTON -- Clint Frazier, the New York Yankees' much-talked-about prospect, made his major league debut a good one, hitting his first career home run in Saturday night's 7-6 loss to the Houston Astros.

Frazier's seventh-inning solo shot off relieverTony Sippcame after he doubled for his first major league hit in a five-run sixth inning.

The 22-year-old, right-handed hitter started in right field in place of Aaron Judgeand batted ninth.He finished 2-for-4.

"Very eventful,'' Frazier said Saturday night in summing up his first game in the bigs. "It is probably the best taste of baseball I have ever had. It's disappointing to lose, but we have tomorrow. I am glad to be a part of this game."

Frazier became the fourth-youngest player in franchise history to homer in his major league debut and the youngest to do so since 1969. He joined Mike Pagliarulo (July 7, 1984) as the only Yankees players since World War II to debut with a pair of extra-base hits.

Frazier was the center of attention in spring training because of his long, red hair, which he finally cut after manager Joe Girardi strongly suggested he do so to avoid being a distraction to his new team. With Girardi's encouragement, Frazier will still try to be himself.

"I think if I clip my own wings, I'm not going to be able to play the way that I want to," said Frazier, who was one of the main pieces in the trade last July that sent Andrew Miller to the Cleveland Indians. "I think for me, as long as I can be myself without being a distraction or cause harm to the clubhouse or the team, I think I'll be in good shape."

Frazier found out that he was being called up on Friday night, when Triple-A Scranton manager Al Pedrique gave him a stern talking to, reminding him to keep working on his game before telling him he was being called to the majors.

"It was a bittersweet moment," Frazier said.

Judge received a day off after serving as the designated hitter the previous two games. Girardi said the 6-foot-7, 282-pound Judge is completely healthy.

Frazier hit .257 with 12 home runs and 42 RBIs in 73 games at Triple-A.

Girardi said that Frazier, who eventually shaved his head, learned from the hair episode in the spring.

"I think he learned a lot," Girardi said. "Probably the biggest thing he probably learned, if I had to guess, was I want people to talk about me because of the way I play not because of the way I wear my hair or some things that may be perceived that I say or do."

In New York, Frazier knows there will be a lot of focus on him, whatever he does.

"The hair was taken a lot more seriously than I thought," Frazier said. "I meant no harm by growing it out. I was just under the impression that it was still following the rules. I needed to get called out to realize that I was the black sheep of the crowd."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.