WATCH: Gamboa's first Major League strikeout

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Former UC Davis pitcher Eddie Gamboa became the latest in a line of Aggies to make their Major League debut on Friday night (Sept. 2), entering in relief for the Tampa Bay Rays and recording his first big league strikeout against the Toronto Blue Jays as part of an 8-3 victory at Tropicana Field.

Gamboa becomes the fifth former UC Davis player to appear in the Major Leagues -- and the third to make his debut this season -- joining Steve Brown (California Angels), Daniel Descalso (currently with the Colorado Rockies), Joe Biagini (Toronto Blue Jays), and Ty Kelly (New York Mets). Biagini made his debut on April 8 of this year against the Boston Red Sox, while Kelly made his first career appearance just over a month later on May 24 against the Washington Nationals.

Wearing No. 59, Gamboa entered to start the eighth inning and gave up a single to Josh Donaldson and a walk to Edwin Encarnacion, before getting Michael Saunders to strikeout swinging for his first at the Major League level. He left after only a third of an inning, allowing a run on a hit with the game well in hand.

A knuckleballer who joined the Rays as a minor-league free agent this season, posted a 6-4 record with a 2.68 ERA in 27 games for Triple-A Durham, making 12 starts. He struck out 89 against 39 walks in 94 innings, while holding opponents to a .196 average. Friday marked his second trip to the majors in his professional career after spending two days with the Baltimore Orioles in April of 2015, but did not see action.

At age 31, Gamboa became the second oldest player to make his debut with Tampa Bay behind 35-year-old Jim Morris, whose story was turned into a movie, "The Rookie."

A nine-year veteran of the professional ranks, Gamboa had appeared in 236 minor league contests after being drafted in the 21st round by Baltimore in 2008, posting a 56-56 career record and a 3.51 ERA in 900 innings, while striking out 730 batters and holding opponents to a .236 average.

The Merced, Calif., native was a three-year letter winner for the Aggies in 2005 and 2007-08, helping pitch UC Davis through its reclassifying years to the Division I level, closing out his collegiate career by helping the Aggies reach the NCAA Regionals at Stanford in 2008. Gamboa finished 7-3 with a team-best 2.61 ERA as a senior in 14 starts, logging three complete games and a shutout, while allowing just two runs on four hits while striking out seven in the regional opener against the Cardinal -- a game UC Davis won, 4-2, thanks to a four-run seventh inning.

Gamboa finished his Aggie career with a 13-6 record and a 2.98 ERA in just over 205 career innings, striking out 136 and holding opponents to a .259 average.