LOWELL — As calm as he looked on the outside, pitcher Brock Huntzinger was anything but on the inside.

"The guys always tease me about how nervous I get before I pitch," he said. "I get very nervous and very edgy, and I had never pitched in front of a crowd like the one (last night)."

As it turned out, Huntzinger had nothing to worry about.

The starter delivered a professional debut that any pitcher would dream of with seven strikeouts over five innings in the Lowell Spinners' 4-2 victory over the Tri-City ValleyCats on opening day at LeLacheur Park.

"I was thrilled with the way he controlled his emotions," said Lowell manager Gary DiSarcina. "I know he tends to get a little excited. But he stays in control and he was very effective."

The 19-year-old Huntzinger's debut was a whole year in the making.

In his senior season at Pendleton Heights (Ind.) High, the righty finished 7-0 and allowed only one earned run and struck out 88 over 43 innings. But, after receiving little attention from pro scouts, he assumed he was headed for college and signed on with Indiana University.

"I was never one of Baseball America's top 50 prospects," he said. "My dad told me to go where I would fit in. And I thought Indiana seemed like a good fit."

But on the day of the 2007 Major League Draft, he received a surprising call.

"I was sitting on the couch with my mom and dad watching the draft when a Red Sox scout called me," he remembered. "He told me the Red Sox were thinking of drafting me in the third round. I told them, 'Do it and I will sign.'

"I was really surprised to be going that early. I was thinking I may get picked somewhere between rounds five and 10. I told them, 'I am there.'"

True to his word, Huntzinger signed on June 29 for $225,000 and spent the rest of the season in extended spring training. The 18-year-old then spent the early part of this season in extended spring, chomping at the bit to join a team.

"It can get pretty mundane and repetitious down there," he said. "You are up at 7 a.m. and at the field at 8 a.m. every day. You play every day at noon and there are no fans."

He was then assigned to Lowell, and days later learned he would get the ball on opening day.

"I found out on Friday I would start the opener," he said. "So the last few days have really crept by."

Huntzinger left no doubt it was his day from the first pitch. After the first batter grounded out, he struck out the next four batters, all swinging. He didn't allow a hit until the fourth, and allowed only three in his outing. His best pitch was his fastball, which was regularly in the mid-90s.

"My fastball was good," he said. "I was getting a lot of swings and misses and a lot of foul balls. I threw a few good sliders. I really had some adrenaline going."

His manager was just as impressed.

"Brock really set the tone for us," said DiSarcina. "He threw fastballs for strikes. He had his command and was getting ahead with first-pitch strikes."

The 6-foot-3, 215-pounder was also thrilled by the crowd that packed LeLacheur even with the Celtics' game beginning during the game.

"The crowd was amazing," he said. "Red Sox fans are just amazing. I went to a Tampa Bay game last summer and there were all Red Sox fans there. There is no franchise that I would rather be a part of."

Opening festivities

The Spinners celebrated opening day with a video presentation reflecting on 10 years of baseball at LeLacheur Park on the video board in left field. The film showed clips of famous Spinners such as Jonathan Papelbon while he was in Lowell, and famous Red Sox who rehabbed in Lowell, such as Ramon Martinez. It also featured a clip of Andover's Jay Leno poking fun at Lowell's trademark promotions in his Tonight Show monologue.

Lowell also showed a video on the 2007 Red Sox, followed by Red Sox chairman Tom Werner throwing out last night's ceremonial first pitch.

Contract renewed

Before the game, Red Sox director of player development Mike Hazen and Spinners owner Drew Weber announced that Boston had extended its player development contract with Lowell through 2010.

"There couldn't be a better team to work with than the Red Sox," said Weber. "We are thrilled to continue our partnership and develop the stars of tomorrow."

Spinner 4, Tri-City 2

Records: Lowell 1-0; Tri-City 0-1

Key play: Back for his second season with the Spinners, Kade Keowen knocked a single that drove home Mitch Dening and Darren Blocker to give Lowell a 4-0 lead.

Offense: Lowell — Carlos Fernandez-Oliva 3 for 4, two doubles, run; Kade Keowen 1 for 3, two RBIs; Mitch Dening 1 for 3, RBI; Tri-City — Phil Disher 2 for 3, RBI

Starters: Lowell — Brock Huntzinger 5 innings, 3 hits, 0 earned runs, 0 walks, 7 strikeouts; Tri-City — Robert Bono 5 innings, 3 earned runs, 6 strikeouts, 0 walks

Winning Pitcher: Huntzinger (1-0); Loser: Bono (0-1); Save: Seth Garrison (1)

Hero: Huntzinger. Dominated in his professional debut, needing only 60 pitches to dazzle Tri-City through five innings.

Quotable: "This was the greatest experience of my baseball career," said Huntzinger. "I had never thrown in front of so many people. I really wanted to jump out of the gates with a win."

Attendance: 5,030, extending streak to 309 straight sellouts.

Up next: Tri-City at Lowell, tonight, 7 p.m.