Fomer Pilot Outfielder, Bowker, Makes Historic MLB Debut
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - When Giants rookie John Bowker strode to the plate Saturday afternoon to take his first-ever Major League time at-bat (at AT&T Park in San Francisco) his team was in need of an offensive spark.
The early 4-6 start for the San Francisco Giants, marked largely by offensive ineptitude, led to the decision to call up the 24-year old former Peninsula Pilot. He promptly singled off of St. Louis Cardinals starter, and fellow Coastal Plain League alum, Todd Wellemeyer ('99 Thomasville HiToms). By the end of the sixth inning he had led his new teammates in chasing Wellemeyer from the mound courtesy of a thunderous three-run homer into the San Francisco Bay (his third at-bat in the Majors). He finished the day 2-for-3 with a single, a homer and 3 RBIs in a game that his team squandered a five-run lead on the way to dropping an 8-7 decision to the Cards.
The next day, Sunday, he delivered a historic encore by becoming the first player in Giants history to homer in each of his first two games when (in the fourth inning) he launched a two-run blast into the right-field arcade off of Cardinals starter Joel Pinero. He added an RBI-single and a sacrifice fly to lead the home team to a 7-4 win, their fifth of the season.
In just two games of work as a member of the Giants, Bowker has tallied a line of 4-of-6 (.667 BA), two home runs and seven RBIs. The seven runs driven in puts him in second in that category among Giants players behind catcher Bengie Molina, who had played in 11 of the team's 13 games as of the end of play Sunday night.
In 2002, Bowker battled through an injury plagued season as a part-time rightfielder in Hampton collecting 11 hits in 55 at-bats following his freshman season at Long Beach State University. With his call-up from Triple-A Fresno, the Pilots now have more active alumni in the Major Leagues than any other CPL franchise. Bowker joins Washington Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman and Texas Rangers pitcher Josh Rupe as former Pilots now competing in the 'Show.'
Overall, Bowker becomes the 28th former alum of the Coastal Plain League to go on to make his Major League Baseball debut, and the first of the 2008 MLB season. He is the third former Peninsula Pilot to debut in the Majors.
The Peninsula Pilots are a member of the Coastal Plain League, which features 14 teams across Virginia and the Carolinas. For more information on the CPL, please visit www.coastalplain.com. For more information on the Peninsula Pilots, please go to www.peninsulapilots.com.
Contact:Hank Morgan
(757) 245-2222