Drew Maggi made his first two major league hits on Saturday night, just three days after his debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates following a 13-year stint in the minor leagues. The Pirates won 16-1 against the Washington Nationals, concluding a day-night doubleheader sweep. Maggi, who was appointed Pittsburgh’s 27th man for the doubleheader after being optioned to Double-A Altoona on Saturday morning, lined a 2-2 splitter from Hobie Harris into center field for an RBI single in the seventh inning to boost the Pirates’ lead to 13-0. Fans at Nationals Park chanted Maggi’s name during and after the at-bat and again when he came off the field.
Despite knowing that he was playing his final game before being sent down, Maggi was determined not to waste an at-bat and fouled off a pair of 2-2 pitches before making solid contact. He was delighted with the result and said, “I was so happy I got it done, got that weight lifted off my shoulders.” Maggi stayed in the game at third base and doubled in the ninth inning against outfielder Lane Thomas, who pitched the ninth for Washington, which dropped the day game 6-3.
A Return Trip to Pittsburgh
Maggi played in 1,154 games in the minors, making 4,494 plate appearances. He was called up last weekend from Altoona when outfielder Bryan Reynolds went on the bereavement list and debuted to a standing ovation when he pinch-hit Wednesday night in the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He struck out in his debut, then grounded out, fouled out, and flied out in his first start on Thursday.
Now, Maggi is determined to work hard in the bushes to earn a return trip to Pittsburgh. He said, “I’ve got a lot of friends down there. It’s going to be cool to see them and just continue to grind in the bushes. But it’ll be fun to see them, and it’s going to be riot down there with everything that’s happened.” Pirates manager Derek Shelton praised Maggi’s performance, saying, “I think everybody in that dugout has played baseball for a long time and they know what he’s put into it, and the fact that he got a hit was really cool.” Maggi’s debut was a dream come true, and he hopes to continue to make strides in his career.
Leave a Reply