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PITTSBURGH — Oscar Colás returned to the dugout and received the silent treatment from teammates.
The Chicago White Sox rookie outfielder took matters into his own hands, giving high-fives to the air with a smile on his face.
Moments later his teammates circled him and gave him hugs and high-fives, congratulating him on his first major-league home run in the ninth inning Friday against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park.
Colás had a big smile Saturday afternoon as he recalled the moment.
“It took me by surprise,” Colás said through an interpreter. “I was expecting everybody to celebrate. I go there and no reaction. I said, ‘Oh, OK.’ So I started celebrating by myself. And once I was taking off my shin guard, everybody came and congratulated me and we had fun there.”
Friday was an afternoon of firsts for another Sox player. Reliever Jesse Scholtens made his big-league debut the same day the Sox selected his contract from Triple-A Charlotte.
Scholtens worked three innings of the 13-9 loss, allowing one run on three hits with four strikeouts and two walks.
“It was incredible,” Scholtens told the Tribune on Saturday. “It was a culmination of a lot of time and energy and effort from a whole lot of people throughout my life and my playing career.
“I’m still trying to let it sink in and really get those full feelings to reflect on it. It was amazing, and I’m just hoping I don’t wake up any time soon.”
Scholtens retired the first batter he faced on his first pitch, getting Ke’Bryan Hayes to fly out to Colás in right field in the sixth inning.
“It was a big one,” he said. “Especially the first pitch and to be able to get an out on that, too, it definitely helped settle me down and was a little reminder that this is baseball. The lights are little brighter, the stadiums are a little bigger, but it’s the same game and I’m here for a reason.”
He fanned the next batter, Jack Suwinski, for his first big-league strikeout.
Scholtens, 29, heard from family and friends, along with teammates and coaches from Little League to college.
“It was really special to enjoy this moment with everybody that’s been there along the way and helped me get there,” he said.
A San Diego Padres ninth-round pick in 2016, Scholtens has a 4.29 ERA in 154 career games (105 starts) in the Padres (2016-19, 2021-22) and White Sox systems. He was a nonroster invitee to spring training after signing with the Sox as a minor-league free agent in December.
“(He) threw strikes (and) was composed,” Sox manager Pedro Grifol said after Friday’s game. “Kept them off balance and made good pitches when he had to and stayed ahead in the count.”
Colás was 0-for-3 when he came up with one out in the ninth. He hit a 1-0 slider from Wil Crowe 416 feet to center for the home run.
“I knew I hit it well, but I wasn’t sure (it would be a home run) because the wind was blowing in,” Colás said.
Colás hit a combined 23 home runs last season while playing at Class A Winston-Salem (seven), Double-A Birmingham (14) and Triple-A Charlotte (two). He said of circling the bases Friday, “It was my first homer as a professional with the Chicago White Sox and it felt very good.”
The Sox hit four homers in the game, two from Luis Robert Jr. and one from Jake Burger and Colás.
“We’re going to see a whole lot more from Colás too,” Burger said Friday. “He’s a great hitter and it was great to see him get his first one.”
Colás continues to impress offensively and defensively. He entered Saturday slashing .269./296/.423 with one double, the homer, two RBIs and a stolen base.
“He showed the talent that he’s got, he went to the biggest part of the ballpark,” Grifol said Saturday. “This kid’s got run-producing potential. All he has to do is get comfortable, learn the major-league game and what it takes to be a major-league player. And he’s doing that on a daily basis.”
