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Giants Rookies Record Major Career Milestones in Same Game
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- Giants Rookies Record Major Career Milestones in Same Game
(IMAGN Images via Reuters Connect)
Not only did Matt "Tugboat" Wilkinson pick up his first career win, but fellow San Francisco Giants rookie Trent Harris recorded his first career save.
Both of these milestones came in the Giants 7-6 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday, Sept. 9.
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That game was not only important due to it being the team's first traditional three-game sweep of the season, but it's a game that Wilkinson nor Harris will soon forget.
Now 62-85, the Giants know the playoffs are out of the question, but it's moments like these that make everything worth it.
'Tugboat' earns win coming out of bullpen
The Giants decided to switch things up in the series finale as they asked Wilkinson to pitch out of the bullpen for the first time in his big league career.
The 23-year-old lasted just 5.2 innings combined in his first two starts, but then threw a six-inning gem on Aug. 29, only for him to fall to 0-2 despite allowing just two earned runs on three hits.
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Wilkinson fell to 0-3 on Sept. 4 as he allowed seven total runs, though only four were earned, in three innings of work.
Thankfully, he was able to turn things around against the Cardinals. Manager Tony Vitello asked him to throw the seventh and eighth innings, and it was a thing of beauty.
"Tugboat" won an eight-pitch battle to get his relief appearance started, and then retired the next two batters in four combined pitches.
After a three-up, three-down seventh inning, Wilkinson came back out for the eighth where he won a seven-pitch battle to get things started.
He would allow a single three pitches later, but then was able to record the final two outs in just four pitches.
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Clearly, the Giants have found a new recipe for success with Wilkinson, so it'll be interesting to see how he looks in these final 15 games.
Harris picks up first career save
The 27-year-old had four holds coming into this one, but it's an entirely new world being asked to pitch the ninth inning in a one-run game.
Harris allowed a single just two pitches into his outing, but three pitches later there was two outs and nobody on as he got the Cardinals to ground into a double play.
One play after that, the game ended due to a groundout and it officially went down as a six-pitch save for Harris to net the Giants their 62nd win of the season.
