Here’s the story of a man who worked hard to sustain himself and earn some money. Whenever life gave him blows, he took them squarely on his chin. Because in his heart, he knew good days were right around the corner. Ignoring the world’s questions and doubts, he continued to move forward. Sounds like a great 90s Hollywood drama, right? Guess what? This isn’t a movie; it’s the true story of the Houston Astros’ Ronel Blanco, the man who rose from adversity to create an iconic moment in the ballpark.

Ronel Blanco turned an unlikely start into an unforgettable tale. The 30-year-old started the game against the Toronto Blue Jays with a fire in his eyes. He had something to prove to his detractors, his newborn daughter, and himself. That led to a no-hitter—the first of this season. Suddenly, the forgotten man has become the star. But how did all of this encompass?

A late bloomer who caught a break by changing his game 

Ronel Blanco was like any other child in the Dominican Republic. Crazy for baseball and seeing himself playing against the legends of the game. He wasn’t this huge a pitcher initially, but surprisingly, Blanco started out as an outfielder. Pitching was never his focus, but as he grew older, he realized that hitting wasn’t getting him anywhere. At the same time, he began displaying some unusual power in his arm, and that led to Blanco’s shift from the plate to the mound.

But that shift wasn’t easy for him. Blanco got rejected by multiple teams. He first went to the Mets’ Dominican Academy, and they closed their doors on him. Similar things happened in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ and Tampa Bay Rays’ Academies. As a 22-year-old, the dreamer was fast approaching an age where his dream would cease to become a reality. And then entered the Houston Astros.

In 2016, the Astros signed him to a relatively cheap deal with a $5000 signing bonus. As reported by Our Esquina, Blanco’s age was deemed a disadvantage for him. “Many people would tell me I wouldn’t get there… But that filled me with motivation to show them that they’re wrong,” said Blanco.

Slowly, Blanco improved and started making his presence felt. However, despite everything, he never got the push that he needed. Until the Astros turned him from a reliever to a starter.

Ronel Blanco’s unexpected start and place among immortals

Blanco was all set to head to Triple-A before Justin Verlander and Jose Urquidy got injured. That immediately set the engines running and turned Blanco into a starter for the Houston Astros. The happiness of realizing his dream became even sweeter with the birth of his daughter. In that moment, Blanco felt he had finally won.

But then just becoming a starter is not enough; that’s just the beginning of his story. The game against the Toronto Blue Jays was his litmus test. If he failed, everything would come to naught. The pressure was high, the Astros were on a losing streak, and then it happened. Pitch after pitch, inning after inning, batters kept falling to his sliders and fastballs. This was for his family, his dreams, and all the naysayers. And as Blanco got the final out, he was a man reborn.

Gone was the man who everyone doubted and taunted. Here was the hero, a baseball lover, taking his place among the immortals. And Blanco knows that this is just the beginning.

Read more: Pinpointing Just How Nasty the Astros’ Rotation Will Be Once Justin Verlander Returns