Former Storm Pitcher Gets Win In MLB Debut, Then Gets Handshake Goodbye

Welcome to the big leagues. Now go home.

Yeah, sometimes it happens like that. Monday night, former Lake Elsinore Storm pitcher Anthony Bass wore a Padres uniform with his name on it.

He stepped on the mound at Coors Field against the Colorado Rockies to make his Major League debut with the San Diego Padres. He worked five solid innings to get the 3-1 victory.

Tuesday morning? A firm handshake, a thank you, and a plane ticket back to Double-A San Antonio.

The Padres announced Tuesday afternoon they have recalled left-handed pitcher Wade LeBlanc from Triple-A Tucson and optioned Bass to Double-A San Antonio. LeBlanc is scheduled to start tonight for the Padres against the Rockies in his second Big League start this season. Executive Vice President/General Manager Jed Hoyer made the announcement.

Due to injuries in the Padres rotation, Bass knew his call-up to the Majors was not permanent, but rather a spot start.

Bass, 23, was selected from Double-A San Antonio yesterday to make his Major League debut. The righthander picked up his first career victory after working five innings and allowing one run on five hits and four walks.

In 12 minor league starts this season between Triple-A Tucson and Double-A San Antonio, he has gone 7-3 with a 3.41 ERA (26 ER/68.2 IP), a .244 (62-for-254) opponents batting average and 63 strikeouts against 17 walks. Of those 12 starts, 11 have been for San Antonio.

Bass was originally signed by the Padres as a fifth-round selection in the 2008 First-Year Player Draft out of Wayne State University (Michigan) and was the third player from that draft to reach the Major Leagues for the Padres.

Despite the roller coaster of emotions, Bass’ family and friends were thrilled to watch him -- and the Padres brass was quite pleased with the outcome.

According to Nick Kosmider of MLB.com, back in Bass' hometown of Trenton, Mich., about 100 friends and family members packed inside a Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant to watch.

“That means a lot to me,” Bass told Kosmider of his family's support, which included his parents, Ed and Linda, and his sister, Amy, making the trip to Denver. "Knowing I had that support behind me was huge, and knowing I had people back home really proud of me, it helps me a whole lot."

Bass, 23, would have worked deeper into the game, but after a one-hour, 23-minute weather delay, he was replaced by lefthander Cory Luebke in the sixth. Bass was efficient, if not sharp, but he impressed manager Bud Black with the movement of his pitches.

"Overall, he showed a good, live fastball, a good, hard slider," Black told Kosmider. "I liked his composure, his poise on the mound."

It was during the fourth that Bass got his first taste of Major League noise. The Rockies faithful raised the decibel level when Wigginton crossed the plate, and it wasn't exactly music to Bass' ears.

"After the fourth, when I gave up that run, the crowd was so loud," Bass told Kosmider. "I didn't want to hear that sound again."

So when Colorado fans began bringing the noise after Carlos Gonzalez and Chris Nelson led off with singles, Bass said he made it a point to quiet the crowd. After getting Todd Helton to fly out, knocking down Troy Tulowitzki's comebacker to the mound to nail Gonzalez at the plate and getting Wigginton to ground out, Bass had done just that.

Bass’ call-up was made possible after 33-year-old Aaron Harang was placed on the disabled list Sunday with a right foot contusion.