KANSAS CITY -- An hour after coming onto the field to pose for photos with family and friends, Patrick Wisdom ensured he'd leave Kauffman Stadium with much more than a photo for a keepsake. While becoming the eighth Cardinals player to make his Major League debut this season, Wisdom highlighted the occasion by tallying several notable firsts in an 8-2 win over the Royals on Sunday afternoon in the I-70 Series finale.
That list included his first error, as Wisdom bobbled the first ball hit his way at first base.
"I think that kind of loosened me up," Wisdom said, smiling. "Then I was able to go out, let loose and have fun."
Wisdom followed that first-inning error with his first hit (a third-inning infield single), first run scored (which tied the game in the third) and first RBI (which evened the game in the seventh). Batting from the ninth spot in the lineup, Wisdom became the fifth player in franchise history to have at least two hits, two runs and one RBI in his Major League debut.
Ken Reitz, in 1972, had been the most recent to hit that combination.
"Fantastic," was how Wisdom described it all afterward. "As a little kid, you dream of making your debut."
And though Wisdom still waits for the the opportunity to take the field at Busch Stadium, he received the sort of reception that made him feel, briefly, at home on Sunday. The several thousand Cardinals fans in attendance gave Wisdom a strong ovation as he stepped in for his first plate appearance.
"I took a step out to embrace it," Wisdom said. "You only really get one debut, so I wanted to take that moment in. It's something I'll always cherish. It was pretty awesome to hear everyone cheer as loud as they could. It got pretty loud."