A Night To Remember: Caleb Boushley's Win Continues Crew Trend Of Magical MLB Debuts

It's Caleb Boushley's world, and we're all just living in it. That's how Brewers broadcaster Brian Anderson described the scene during Friday night's MLB debut for Hortonville, Wi. native and UW-La Crosse alumni Caleb Boushley, and it couldn't have been more accurate.

Drafted in the now-extinct 33rd round of the MLB Draft by the Padres in 2017, Boushley made a slow climb up to the majors. The Brewers ended up taking him in the minor league portion of the Rule 5 Draft two years ago and he's been in Triple-A Nashville ever since, putting up great numbers and proving himself worthy of a call up.

On Friday, it finally happened, and it couldn't have been more perfect of an MLB Debut.

Local product Caleb Boushley had a sensational MLB Debut, filled with meeting a Hall of Famer, videos from his favorite players, support from his college teammates, all of Hortonville, and a magical win in a pennant chase.

Prior to the game, Caleb Boushley got a chance to meet Robin Yount, which would be the top moment of just about anyone's day typically, but not in this case. Growing up a Brewers fan in Hortonville, Boushley's favorite players were Ben Sheets and Geoff Jenkins, and they both sent him videos congratulating him as well. Again, typically would be the best part of anyone's day, but not here.

If you were walking around the field level and noticed a lot of people with Boushley shirts and Fatheads, odds are they were from Hortonville. The two sections behind the Brewers dugout were filled with friends and family. His UWL teammates were around there but a large chunk were holding a reunion behind section 110, standing by the concourse, too nervous for their teammate to even sit in their seats.

It was expected that "Boz" would follow Colin Rea in long relief, but Rea pitched so well over five shutout innings, there had to be a change of plans. Bryse Wilson came in, then Clayton Andrews. Then Andrews got into trouble in the 8th inning and all of a sudden the Cubs were right back in this game. It was time to bring in Boushley.

All of Hortonville and UWL rose to their feet, cheering on Boz for his MLB Debut. His first hitter: Patrick Wisdom. Boz turned him into mince meat.

From there, Boushley went back out for the 9th inning, and although he gave up a home run to Ian Happ to tie the game, he buckled down, struck out Seiya Suzuki and Dansby Swanson, got through the inning and kept it at a 3-3 game, giving the Brewers the chance to walk it off. They weren't able to get it done in the 9th and Boz had to go back out for the 10th.

There was no one getting loose in the bullpen. This was Boz's game the rest of the way. He was a starter in Nashville and was ready for long relief, so he goes out in the 10th and has the automatic runner on 2nd base.

Boz got Candelario to fly out to left. One out. Christopher Morel drew a walk as Swanson went to third on a wild pitch. Runners at the corners with one out. Yan Gomes, punchie. Two away. Morel steals second, opening up first base and the Brewers intentionally walk Tauchman to get the favorable right handed matchup against Wisdom. The second AB for Wisdom went just like the first: Strikeout.

A scoreless top of the 10th gave the Brewers the perfect opportunity to walk it off in the bottom half. His entire cheering section was going nuts, and now so was the rest of the Brewers fans in attendance. Carlos Santana's walk-off in the 10th secured the Brewers win. Typically in this situation, Santana would get the postgame interview, but this was not a typical day.

A patented Gatorade shower to cap off an incredible night and to continue an incredible run of MLB debuts. It wasn't just Willy Adames either, as Brice Turang, Garrett Mitchell, Andruw Monasterio, and other rookies who made their debuts recently and spent a lot of time with him in Nashville.

This is just the latest in a long line of Brewers MLB Debuts this year. Boushley was the 9th Brewer to make his debut this year, and all had magic to them. Sal Frelick had a spectacular debut game, as did Abner Uribe. Brice Turang had a great debut week.

It was a magical night at the ballpark for Boushley, his family, friends, teammates, and every Brewers fan as the hometown kid gets a win for the hometown team. A night to remember, a night to never forget.