PHS alum Kevin Newman called to ‘The Show’

One day after former Poway High standout Kevin Newman made his major league debut for the Pittsburgh Pirates, two Rancho Bernardo High alums took center stage in Pittsburgh.

Newman, a first-round draft pick out of Arizona in 2015, entered last Thursday’s game for the Pirates against the Chicago Cubs as a defensive replacement at shortstop in a 1-0 loss.

That capped off a frantic 24 hours of getting his new wife Shayne, family and friends from the West Coast to Pittsburgh in time for his debut.

In all, the Newman posse from San Diego, numbering about 10 fans, made it to PNC Park.

“The whole thing was surreal,’’ said Newman, 25. “It’s still hard to put into words. Walking into the park that first night I thought about all the blood, sweat and tears ever since I played at Poway and now I’m a major leaguer.’’

Newman, who played in the International League’s All-Star game against the Pacific Coast League this year, managed to play in three of the four games, although he never got that first at-bat.

Besides playing shortstop late in his debut, the 6-1, 180-pounder was a pinch-runner and played shortstop on Friday and was a pinch runner again Sunday.

“It sounds weird to say I’m a major leaguer,’’ Newman said. “The first time I ran onto the field the first night I thought back to being a little kid going to games at Petco Park. Now that’s me. I was looking at the guy I knew I wanted to be.”

On the mound, though, a pair of ex-Broncos faced each other as starting pitchers when the Cubs’ Cole Hamels, now 34, took on Trevor Williams, 26, of the Pirates on Friday.

Former Rancho Bernardo coach Sam Blalock and his pitching coach, Mark Furtak, flew in for the historic matchup that endured a two-hour rain delay as well.

“It was cool to have Trevor and Hamels go at it,’’ Newman said. “I would like to have gotten an (at-bat) in there to add to the moment.’’

Hamels, acquired in trade from the Texas Rangers, made his fourth start count as he and Williams, a second-round draft pick out of Arizona State in 2013 by the Miami Marlins, matched pitches for seven innings.

A solo home run by Kyle Schwarber was the only run in a 1-0 victory by the Cubs.

Hamels, a first-team All-CIF honoree in 2002 at Rancho Bernardo, is now 3-0 with an 0.72 ERA in four outings with the Cubs.

He even singled off Williams.

“I had never met Cole,’’ said Williams, a second-team All-CIF pick in 2010. “I have a thing where I don’t talk to the other starting pitcher before a game.

“He’s been pitching for so long, everyone who pitched at RB knows about Cole Hamels. I watched him win the World Series with the Phillies. Once he got traded into the National League, I figured this would happen eventually.’’

The 6-foot-4, 205-pound Hamels, now 8-9 with 4.00 ERA for the season counting his time with the Rangers, pitched seven innings, allowed five hits and two walks with three strikeouts.

Williams, now 10-9 with a 3.53 ERA, also went seven innings, allowing just four hits with two walks and four strikeouts.

The two pitchers met up with Blalock and Furtak for a pregame lunch Saturday to dissect the matchup.

“We shared stories about high school,’’ the 6-3, 200-pound Williams said. “It would have been nice to get the win. I know the coaches were hoping we’d both pitch well and get a no-decision.

“That they came in for the game shows they cared about us as people. You’re around your high school coaches almost as much as you are your own parents.’’

Hamels’ next start could come today (Thursday) as the Cubs open a series against the Cincinnati Reds at home.

Williams, who has allowed three runs in his last 36 innings, was slated to start Wednesday at home against the Atlanta Braves’ Sean Newcomb.

“This was a cool instance,’’ added Williams. “It was a big deal for the Rancho Bernardo community and our coaches.’’

With all the Poway-Rancho Bernardo news, the Cubs and Pirates split the four-game series.