By CRAIG POTTER
The Aquinas grad’s a 2-run double propels Indianapolis to an 11-6 win over Rochester.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Chris Bostick made his second trip as a professional baseball player to his hometown to face the Rochester Red Wings a memorable one on Friday night.
“It’s always good to be back to play here and everything,” Bostick said as this way the second time he played at Frontier Field as a pro. “Last year (with Syracuse) was pretty cool. I think that was the most nervous I’ve ever been in my life.
“Now, kind of a year later, I’ve been in the league for awhile…it’s kind of business as usual. Obviously really cool to be back…Try to go out there and do my job well.”
And that he did! The Chili native and Aquinas graduate delivered the game-winning hit as the Indianapolis Indians posted an 11-6 victory before 5,432 fans.
“It was nice to get a couple of hits, couple of RBIs,” he said with a smile.
The Indians posted 7 runs in the fourth inning to take a commanding 11-2 lead.
Red Wings starting pitcher Nik Tepesch intentionally walked the Indians ninth hitter, Barrett Barnes, to load the bases with one out and bring up Bostick, who is the leadoff hitter. The former Little Irish player entered the game batting .335, which was second best average in the International League.
“To a person who might not understand baseball as much, it’s kind of weird. Why would they do that?” he said. “It’s kind of a pretty regular baseball play to give them a chance to get the double play. You don’t look too much into that. It was something I kind of expected.”
Bostick responded with a double down the left field line as the 6th and 7th runs of the game scurried across the plate. Bostick scored the fifth run in the 7-run uprising. He also scored in the third inning on a single, then trotted around the basepaths on a 2-run homer by Austin Meadows.
The Tribe jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning on a 2-run homer from Max Moroff.
Bostick is the second Rochester native in the last 6 days to record the game-winning hit against the Red Wings. Irondequoit native Cito Culver laid down a bunt single in the bottom of the 11th inning on Sunday to give the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders a 5-4 victory.
“I’ve stayed in touch with Cito,” he said. “We grew up together, we played together. I wish him all the best.”
The Tribe played the RailRiders in Indy once already this season.
“The past couple of years I’ve got the chance to see him, play against him,” Bostick said. “It’s always good to see a familiar face.”
Traded again
Bostick, who played for the Syracuse Chiefs, the farm team of the Washington Nationals, last season when he played his first pro game at Frontier Field, was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates organization on Sept. 9 last year.
“It was a little bit of a tough time because I got designated by the Nationals,” he said of the trade. “It’s a tough thing to go through as a athlete to get taken off the roster, not knowing where you are going.
“When I found out I was going to the Pirates, it was a pretty exciting time. I was happy, not only that I was staying on a major league roster but just a new opportunity.”
The infielder/outfielder was called up by the Pirates on May 8 and made his major league debut that night at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.
“Pretty cool place to make a debut,” said Bostick. “Not so many butterflies in the batter’s box as it was in the field looking up at the grandstand and 40-plus thousand people…My family was there and they announced that I was making my debut and everything.
“It was a couple of days but it was a lot of fun.”
He went 0-for-4 with a walk and 2 strikeouts.
“At the end of the day, baseball is baseball,” Bostick said of his plate appearances. “You get to a certain point where everybody can play…As far as being over-matched, I didn’t feel over-matched at all. There’s an understanding that you’re there, you have to perform. You can’t have a bunch of bad weeks in a row…You have to be able to make some offense and help your team.”
Bostick originally was selected by Oakland in the 44th round (1,336 overall) in the 2011 draft.
“When I started I knew it was going to be a long road and it wasn’t going to be easy,” he said. “When I made the decision I understood I had to put everything into it. I had a lot of people supporting me, made sacrifices, giving up things to help me get here. I can’t overlook how much help I’ve had along the way…I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
Bostick has recorded nearly a hit in every game for the Indians since his return after 3 games with Pittsburgh.
In April, Bostick led Indianapolis in average (.337), hits (28), doubles (7), triples (2), stolen bases (3), slugging average (.542) and on base percentage (910).
*NOTES – RHP Yohan Pino was reinstated from the disabled list and transferred to Double-A Chattanooga…J.B. Shuck went 1-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to 6 games…Daniel Palka and Niko Goodrum belted solo homers in the game for the Red Wings…The loss dropped the Red Wings below the .500 mark (20-21) for the first time this season…The Indians lead the West Division with a 26-20 record…The RailRiders and Cito Culver make their first trip to Rochester this season for a 3-game series June 5-7.
Links
Rochester Red Wings – redwingsbaseball.com
Videos
Chris Bostick interview – https://youtu.be/VgUHl4pFokY
Chris Bostick interview 1 – https://youtu.be/6QVDz17tTm8