VESTAL, N.Y. - Former Binghamton baseball standout Murphy Smith reached the pinnacle of professional baseball on Monday when he made his MLB debut with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Hours after being called up from Triple-A Buffalo and 10 years after beginning his pro career, Smith joined the club in Baltimore and took his spot in the bullpen. With the Orioles ahead 7-0 in the seventh inning, Smith was called to the mound and he retired the first batter on a 6-4 forceout at second to end the inning. Smith then pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning, getting a lineout to left field, groundout to third and groundout to second. He retired all four batters faced and threw 14 pitches. 

"It felt great after I finished the eighth," Smith said. "My family and friends were cheering and I pointed to them. It was just a moment of pure joy."

As Smith entered the game, famed Orioles announcer Gary Thorne shared some inside information with the viewers on the MASN broadcast.

"There was genuine excitement in the Toronto clubhouse today," Thorne said. "All players know him from all his years in the minor leagues and they really like him and were really excited when they heard he was going to be added to the roster."  

The call-up ended an arduous 10-year journey that began when the Oakland Athletics selected Smith in the 13th round (pick No. 393) of the 2009 Amateur Draft. He began his career with Oakland's Rookie League team in Phoenix and went on to pitch for eight different teams in the A's and Blue Jays organizations. Smith was a three-time Double-A all-star, twice with Midland (Oakland) and once with New Hampshire (Toronto) after the Blue Jays signed him in 2015. In all he appeared in 277 minor league games and worked 1,016.2 innings before the historic call-up.  

Smith was relaxing with his parents Sunday night in Buffalo when he was given the news. He was scheduled to pitch for the Bisons on Monday so his parents were in town to watch. 

"I couldn't have scripted it any better," he said. "I was honestly in disbelief for a few hours and didn't sleep that well Sunday night. I was pretty nervous leading up to the moment when I started warming up. It was just an awesome experience and long journey to get here."

Just two days after his 31st birthday, Smith is now the oldest player in Toronto Blue Jays' history to make his MLB debut. 

"I'm just so proud of Murphy and happy for him and his family," head coach Tim Sinicki said. "He's worked so hard and really deserved this opportunity. It was a wild night of texts going back and forth with former players and teammates of Murphy ... lot's of Bearcats' pride."

A native of Clifton Park, N.Y. (Shenendehowa HS), Smith was the America East Pitcher of the Year in 2009 when the Bearcats made their historic first NCAA appearance after winning both the America East regular season and tournament titles. Smith led after the league in wins (7), strikeouts (84) and ERA (3.12). He went 7-3 and had 84 strikeouts and just 14 walks in 89.1 innings. His strikeout total was the second-most in program history and he tied the season high for wins. Smith ranked 27th in the country in fewest walks allowed per game (1.41) and was 59th in ERA. He also was named 2009 ECAC Pitcher of the Year and first team ABCA All-Northeast Region in 2009. In three collegiate seasons, Smith had 13 wins and a 3.89 career ERA in 44 appearances.

He now joins former Minnesota Twins Pitcher of the Year and BU Hall of Famer Scott Diamond as the two Bearcats to reach Major League Baseball. Diamond, who played with Smith for the 2007 Bearcats, won 19 career games in four MLB seasons and also pitched for the Blue Jays.  

Smith and the Blue Jays continue their three-game series in Baltimore with games Tuesday and Wednesday night at Camden Yards.