WooSox skipper Chad Tracy’s reaction to Jamie Westbrook’s first major league hit: ‘I’m pretty proud of him’
Red Sox rookie infielder/outfielder Jamie Westbrook recorded his first MLB hit during the eighth inning of the Red Sox 9-0 win over the Braves on Wednesday afternoon.
The 28-year-old pinch hit for Enmanuel Valdez in the eighth inning and roped a 242-foot single into left field. Westbrook hit a 77.2 curveball offering from Braves right-handed reliever Jimmy Herget.
“It’s indescribable,” he said to reporters after the game. “Just to see the ball hit the grass. Because I don’t know—you fear you’re in the minor leagues so long, you’re like, ‘Man, what if I go up there and...?’ You never know how things happen. So it was nice to get it out of the way for sure and just be able to keep looking forward.”
Following his hit, the Red Sox put a message on the Jumbotron to let the Fenway Faithful know it was Westbrook’s first major league hit. The fans at the ballpark gave him a loud ovation, and Westbrook can’t recall if he heard it or not.
“I don’t know if I heard too much,” Westbrook said. “It kind of was just like I didn’t know what was going on. But I’m sure there was definitely a roar. Red Sox fans are knowledgeable, and they care about us. And it’s cool to have almost 30,000, 40,000 people, whatever it is, behind you.”
Westbrook’s teammates at Polar Park were able to watch him achieve his big league milestone in the clubhouse, and the room erupted in cheers. WooSox skipper Chad Tracy was out on the field watching batting practice but was informed quickly by bench coach Jose Flores of Westbrook’s accomplishment.
“I’m pumped,” Tracy said, smiling while in his office pregame meeting with the media. “I didn’t get to see it yet; I’m going to look it up here in a bit.”
Flores was yelling from the hallway out onto the field after it happened, and Tracy acknowledged how “awesome” it was to find out the news.
"Obviously, I was pumped and excited he got the opportunity to go to the big leagues. I knew he had a chance to get some games in. Just to know he was able to drop one in there, he’s got to the big leagues, and now that first hit ball, you’ll never be able to take that away from him. I’m pretty proud of him,” added Tracy.
Westbrook gave the ball to his mother, Jen after the game.
“She was battling breast cancer the past five months or so,” Westbrook said. “She’s in remission now. Just finished radiation last week. So I think she deserves that ball.”
