For Pirates rookie Billy Cook, 1st home run of MLB career came on a wing and a prayer

When the Pittsburgh Pirates called up Billy Cook, it caused his family to scramble for flights in to make it to PNC Park in time to see his major league debut.

Where that required a wing, his first home run came after a prayer.

Cook said one with teammate Henry Davis before his at-bat in the sixth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday night at Busch Stadium, in hopes it would help him relax.

It worked, as Cook smacked left-hander Matthew Liberatore’s first-pitch fastball 380 feet to right field to give the Pirates a one-run lead.

Billy Cook's first MLB home run ???? pic.twitter.com/E8UG7mknjt

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) September 19, 2024

“Thank you, heavenly Father,” Cook said on the SportsNet Pittsburgh postgame show. “It feels really good. It was a big part of the game, too. Just trying to help them win again.”

The Cardinals rallied for six runs in the seventh inning for a 10-5 win. After striking out in his first two at-bats, Cook added a leadoff single in the ninth to finish 2 for 4 with three RBIs.

Cook said his second at-bat provided motivation, as Cardinals starter Sonny Gray got him to chase three sweepers outside to go down swinging with two runners in scoring position.

“I was a little antsy,” Cook said. “Runners on second and third, one out, trying to get an RBI and there was kind of a rally. Didn’t do my job there, so said, ‘Hey, relax a little more, see what happens and just put it in play.’”

That’s been the challenge for Cook, who’s batting .208 (5 for 24) with nine strikeouts and no walks in eight games. When he’s made contact, he’s done damage, as evidenced by the two-run double in his debut and the three-run homer.

Both were two-hit games for Cook, who was acquired from the Baltimore Orioles on July 30 in exchanged for right-handed pitcher Patrick Reilly. After batting .276/.389/.486 with seven doubles, five homers and 21 RBIs in 30 games at Triple-A Indianapolis, the Pirates promoted Cook to the majors on Sept. 8.

Cook welcomed the change, even though he went from an AL playoff contender to the last-place Pirates.

“In Baltimore, I felt a little stuck because even the guys that had debuted were still kind of going up and down. I didn’t feel like I was next up, that they would get the shot before me,” Cook told TribLive. “Here, it’s just nice to be given this opportunity and get a taste of the big leagues. Definitely a better opportunity here. That trade worked out great for me because I think I’d still be in Triple-A with the O’s, with how they’ve done their roster moves recently. I’m glad to be here and experience it.”

His family had to scramble to make the trip from Colorado Springs. After learning of his promotion, Cook called his parents, Julie and Chuck, late on a Saturday night to share the news that he would be playing the next afternoon against the Washington Nationals.

“I kind of left it up to them. I was hoping they could make it,” Cook said. “I was like, ‘Listen, I know if you can’t it’s because of the timing. It’s not that you don’t want to be here.’

“It was like, ‘This is when I’m playing tomorrow. Do your best and see if you can make it work.’ Once I hung up, I was like, ‘Good luck.’ They called to let me know they had the flights and the hotels booked, so it wasn’t a surprise.”

Cook’s agent helped arrange early-morning flights. It helps that Cook’s father is a pilot for United Airlines and his parents are “not strangers to traveling, especially last-minute.”

Cook’s maternal grandparents, Dan and Barb Adair, also made the trip. His younger siblings were all at college — brother Charlie at the U.S. Coast Guard, sister Emily at the U.S. Air Force Academy and brother Danny at Pepperdine — and joined them later in the week.

The 5-foot-11, 205-pound Cook has shown his versatility by starting two games at first base, two in right field, two in center and one in left. And he was joined this week by a fellow rookie, infielder Nick Yorke, who was acquired from the Boston Red Sox at the trade deadline.

Yorke also had two hits against the Cardinals, getting his first RBI on a single in the fourth and adding another single in the sixth to score his first run on Cook’s blast. Yorke greeted Cook with a “big hug, big smile.”

“And he said, ‘Thanks for getting me my first run,’” Cook said. “I was like, ‘Oh yeah, no problem. Glad I could help.’”

LET BILLY COOK pic.twitter.com/gmwNaNjOf5

— hannah (@hannahk_2019) September 19, 2024

They knew each other as rivals in the minors, then spent more than a month together as teammates at Indianapolis.

“He’s a great hitter, a great player (who) plays really hard so he’s an awesome teammate,” Cook said. “I think he’s going to be a great teammate to have, not just for me but playing behind pitchers and in the box. He’s going to contribute in a lot of ways.”

Their contributions didn’t escape the notice of Pirates manager Derek Shelton, either.

“That’s very encouraging for us,” Shelton said. “These are guys we acquired and we’re going to get a look at over the last 10 days. Both of them had good nights.”