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BSB | Burnes Returns To The Bay
7/31/2018 6:28:00 PM | Baseball
SAN FRANCISCO — It was familiar territory last week for former Saint Mary's baseball All-American Corbin Burnes, as he donned a baseball uniform at AT&T Park for the second time as a player.
But this time, the stage was much bigger. After Burnes and the Gaels made an appearance in 2015 at AT&T Park in the Benedetti Classic hosted by the University of San Francisco, he returned Thursday through Sunday as a Major League Baseball player for the Milwaukee Brewers in a four-game series versus the San Francisco Giants.
"Our sophomore year we played a game here in the Benedetti Classic," recalled Burnes. "I didn't actually pitch in that game, but to finally get out on the mound and throw a few pitches was pretty cool."
Burnes made his AT&T Park debut in Thursday's series opener, where he threw eight pitches. That included striking out former National League Most Valuable Player Andrew McCutchen looking on three pitches, with a 96-mph fastball as the icing on the cake.
"Being up here at this level, pretty much every hitter you face is going to be a tough AB," said Burnes. But we have such advanced scouting reports up here that we know how to attack hitters. I'm the new guy up here and (Erik) Kratz is throwing down the signs and I'm just trying to go out there and execute pitches."
Burnes received the call that every baseball player dreams of getting on July 8, getting promoted to the Brewers from the Triple-A Colorado Sky Sox. He was moved to the bullpen from the starting rotation not as a demotion, but as a quicker avenue to the big leagues. And two days later on July 10, he made his Major League debut in Miami. He recorded his first career strikeout in that outing and even tallied a two-inning save in his first appearance as a big leaguer.
Burnes would throw against the Giants on Thursday and also make an appearance on Sunday. In his two appearances in San Francisco he struck out four and did not allow a run in 1 2/3 innings pitched. He's yet to allow a run in 8 2/3 innings of MLB action, striking out 13 and walking just three (one intentional).
"It's been exciting. Every time I've appeared in a game it's been a high-level situation, throwing me in close games with a lead. So it's been fun. Morale's good in the clubhouse, it's exciting. We're making a push coming back after a tough stretch and we just gotta keep it going."
Burnes' final season at Saint Mary's in 2016 was an historic one for him and the Gaels. He was twice named an All-American that season while also earning all-region and all-West Coast Conference honors along the way. The Gaels won their first-ever WCC Championship and made the program's first-ever appearance in an NCAA Regional, where Burnes pitched against the eventual national champions, Coastal Carolina.
"Playing in the conference tournament, playing with a contending team that last year definitely helped," said Burnes about how his experience at Saint Mary's helped his pro career. "Your starts mean a lot more. Playing in a regional, you have a lot more of a playoff atmosphere; the type of games you see every day up here. It's going to be a different animal as we make that late August push here to make the playoffs."
But this time, the stage was much bigger. After Burnes and the Gaels made an appearance in 2015 at AT&T Park in the Benedetti Classic hosted by the University of San Francisco, he returned Thursday through Sunday as a Major League Baseball player for the Milwaukee Brewers in a four-game series versus the San Francisco Giants.
"Our sophomore year we played a game here in the Benedetti Classic," recalled Burnes. "I didn't actually pitch in that game, but to finally get out on the mound and throw a few pitches was pretty cool."
Burnes made his AT&T Park debut in Thursday's series opener, where he threw eight pitches. That included striking out former National League Most Valuable Player Andrew McCutchen looking on three pitches, with a 96-mph fastball as the icing on the cake."Being up here at this level, pretty much every hitter you face is going to be a tough AB," said Burnes. But we have such advanced scouting reports up here that we know how to attack hitters. I'm the new guy up here and (Erik) Kratz is throwing down the signs and I'm just trying to go out there and execute pitches."
Burnes received the call that every baseball player dreams of getting on July 8, getting promoted to the Brewers from the Triple-A Colorado Sky Sox. He was moved to the bullpen from the starting rotation not as a demotion, but as a quicker avenue to the big leagues. And two days later on July 10, he made his Major League debut in Miami. He recorded his first career strikeout in that outing and even tallied a two-inning save in his first appearance as a big leaguer.
Burnes would throw against the Giants on Thursday and also make an appearance on Sunday. In his two appearances in San Francisco he struck out four and did not allow a run in 1 2/3 innings pitched. He's yet to allow a run in 8 2/3 innings of MLB action, striking out 13 and walking just three (one intentional).
"It's been exciting. Every time I've appeared in a game it's been a high-level situation, throwing me in close games with a lead. So it's been fun. Morale's good in the clubhouse, it's exciting. We're making a push coming back after a tough stretch and we just gotta keep it going."
Burnes' final season at Saint Mary's in 2016 was an historic one for him and the Gaels. He was twice named an All-American that season while also earning all-region and all-West Coast Conference honors along the way. The Gaels won their first-ever WCC Championship and made the program's first-ever appearance in an NCAA Regional, where Burnes pitched against the eventual national champions, Coastal Carolina.
"Playing in the conference tournament, playing with a contending team that last year definitely helped," said Burnes about how his experience at Saint Mary's helped his pro career. "Your starts mean a lot more. Playing in a regional, you have a lot more of a playoff atmosphere; the type of games you see every day up here. It's going to be a different animal as we make that late August push here to make the playoffs."
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