Willson Contreras sent the first MLB pitch he saw into the center field bleachers at Wrigley Field.
Of course he did.
The way the Cubs have seamlessly integrated young players onto the big-league team the last two years, why would Contreras be any different?
First it was Kris Bryant. Then Addison Russell. Then Kyle Schwarber.
This year, it was Albert Almora Jr. first and now Contreras has entered the fray.
After getting called up before the weekend series against the Pirates, the 24-year-old catcher appeared in an inning behind home plate in Friday's game, but didn't get a chance to hit.
He came into Sunday night's game as a pinch-hitter for pitcher Kyle Hendricks in the bottom of the sixth, prompting Pittsburgh pitching coach Ray Searage to make a trip to the mound.
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Whatever Searage said didn't have much of an effect, as Contreras smacked A.J. Schugel's first offering just to the right of the "400" sign in straightaway center for a two-run shot.
Contreras insisted he was not nervous as he walked to the plate, instead focusing on enjoying the moment and taking it all in. But he also admitted he never envisioned this even in his wildest dreams.
"It was an amazing feeling," he said. "It was incredible. I don't have the words to explain how happy I am right now.
"... I'm still high in the sky. I can't believe it."
The 41,024 fans at Wrigley nearly brought the house down in response, demanding a curtain call in an ovation reminiscent of the 2015 National League Division Series.
"He had a good night," Joe Maddon said. "The home run was pretty special."
Contreras said he was in the bullpen when he got the call that he was going to pinch-hit, and in a funny twist of irony, he had to hustle back down to the bullpen to help warm up pitchers immediately after his homer.
Contreras will get his first big-league start in Monday's game, catching veteran John Lackey as the Cubs welcome the St. Louis Cardinals to town for the first time since that NLDS. Coverage begins on Comcast SportsNet at 6:30 p.m.