CHICAGO (670 The Score) -- Richard Williams wasted no time rising from his seat and applauding.
His son Trevor Williams had just lost a perfect game in the sixth inning of his Cubs debut, but Richard, a lifelong fan of his son's new team, was still beaming with pride. The rest of Wrigley Field joined him and offered a standing ovation for Williams, who was a key figure in the Cubs' 5-3 win against the Brewers on Monday evening.
Williams earned the victory and one more standing ovation after finishing six-plus innings of work.
"It's something that I'm going to remember and I'm going to cherish," Williams said.
The Williams family sat a few rows behind home plate thanks to Cubs right fielder Jason Heyward, who insisted on purchasing their tickets for Williams' debut. Richard grew up a Cubs fan on the south side of Chicago and attended Brother Rice before serving in the Marines. He kept his son's pitching line in a scorecard Monday night: six-plus innings, two earned runs, two hits, six strikeouts and two walks.
For the 28-year-old Williams, signing with the Cubs this past offseason not only offered personal meaning but also the opportunity to refine his craft. Williams spent the first five years of his MLB career with the Pirates, establishing himself as an effective pitch-to-contact starter. He tries to attack the strike zone and let his defense do the rest. In the last two seasons, Williams was hit hard. He posted a 5.60 ERA over 201 innings in that span, and the Pirates chose to let him leave.
The Cubs signed Williams on a one-year deal, offering him the chance to compete for a spot in the rotation and utilize the organization's pitch lab. He went to work with pitching coach Tommy Hottovy with the hope of making his slider a more effective pitch. Williams registered six strikeouts Monday, including a pair getting chases on sliders in the dirt.
Williams also used his slider with one out in the sixth inning against Brewers first baseman Keston Hiura, inducing him to hit into a 5-4-3 double play that helped the Cubs escape a jam. It was a key moment for Williams on an evening he produced a 76/9% groundball rate.
"This guy has done nothing but impress since he's been here," Cubs manager David Ross said.
"It's pretty spectacular how he handled the moment."
Williams is part of a new-look Cubs rotation that Ross believes went "under the radar" this offseason. He joined Jake Arrieta, Zach Davies and Adbert Alzolay as newcomers to a staff still led by ace Kyle Hendricks.
The Cubs believe Williams can produce more nights like Monday. His debut wasn't perfect, but it sure felt pretty close to it.
"Just a really special moment for my family and me," Williams said.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.