Mickey Gasper made his first career Major League start on Saturday at Fenway Park. (Courtesy photo)

Another career milestone for former Merrimack and Nashua Silver Knights standout Mickey Gasper.

It may not have gone exactly the way he would have wanted, but Gasper made his first career Major League start on Saturday with the Boston Red Sox vs. the Arizona Diamondbacks at Fenway Park.

Gasper, since being called up from Triple A Worcester nearly two weeks ago, started at second base and hit seventh in the Sox lineup in albeit a 4-1 loss to the Diamondbacks.

He went 0 for 4 and struck out three times. Gasper took a tough called third strike on the inside corner in his second at bat vs. Arizona starter Zac Gallen, who threw six shutout innings. He later lined out to left field, going the opposite way. In the ninth with a man on, Gasper struck out on three pitches, but third strike was a very questionable call when it appeared Gasper, who was hitting just over .400 at Worcester, had checked his swing against Diamondbacks closer Paul Sewald.

Gasper, normally a DH, catcher or first baseman, had played just 19 at second in the minors this year, and also did so late in a game with the Sox last week for an inning. Going into the game, he had only four at-bats — three walks and a strikeout, all in pinch-hitting roles.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora told the media before the game that Gasper needed to play, thus the start yesterday.

“Just play man,” Cora said to the media. “Gotta play. He’s been here 10 days, has four at-bats. And for him to be a guy that we’re going to rely (on) in certain spots, he needs at-bats.”

And on Saturday, he got some, with likely more to come as he seeks that elusive first career MLB hit.

(Material from MassLive.com was used in this report.)