https://twitter.com/KO_Crowley/status/1114677336081702912
You can be sure Travis Bergen and Connor Joe (especially Joe) will remember today for the rest of their lives. It began with both Bergen, a reliever, and Joe, riding pine, miring at the potential for their first win at the newly named Oracle Park. By the end of the day, both Bergen and Joe were drenched in beer.
Joe pinch hit in the bottom of the fifth inning, entering the day 0-for-13 with four strikeouts through his first eight days of the season. He’d been robbed of a hit by a shift-playing Kike Hernandez down against the Dodgers in Los Angeles, but refused to allow chance to enter the equation today. Joe ripped a single and later scored from a Steven Duggar double to give the Giants a 4-3 lead over the Tampa Bay Rays today.
https://twitter.com/KO_Crowley/status/1114665543661830144
Crowley’s assumption was correct, as the official Giants Instagram confirmed after the game. Joe and Bergen were tossed into the clothing hampers and doused in a few nice, low-ABV alcoholic beverages.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bv7s6GgJ5ge/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=1n9ehtuelvr6h
As Joe said in Crowley’s video above, he’s felt, “extremely blessed,” to be able to get that nagging hit out of the way and to be able to move on in the season without that necessary milestone hanging over his head.
Bergen came in to face just a single batter, Avisail Garcia, after 4 2/3 innings of pitching from starter Jeff Samardzija. He said he’ll keep the game-worn, jersey, ball from the game and lineup card. He said he was aware he was in line for the win.
“I did,” Bergen said. “I just kind of snaked it in there, just go in there and face one guy, but I knew once we had scored a couple runs and held on, that would be a win for me, so that was pretty cool.”
Here’s a look at the two baseballs saved for Joe and Bergen after the game.
Congrats to Connor Joe on his First Major League Hit and Travis Bergen on his First Major League Win! pic.twitter.com/sRvJI1ZAlN
— Giants Authentics (@SFGAuthentics) April 7, 2019
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