Bowker makes most of stint with Fresno

It's rare for a player to make his mark in the major leagues before he does so at the Triple-A level.

But Fresno Grizzlies outfielder John Bowker did just that last season, when he became the first player in Giants history -- in New York and San Francisco -- to homer in each of his first two big league games.

A native of Sacramento, Calif., who grew up a Giants fan, Bowker had only played in two Triple-A games before last season, when he was called up by San Francisco in early April.

''At the time, I felt pretty good swinging the bat,'' Bowker said Monday before going 2-for-4 in Fresno's 9-8 loss to Las Vegas at Cashman Field. ''I just got hot right away.''

Bowker, 26, batted .255 with 10 homers and 43 RBIs in 111 games last year for the Giants and he's been on a tear this year for Fresno in his first full Triple-A season.

He leads the Pacific Coast League in batting (.342) and on-base percentage (.451), is third in slugging percentage (.596) and on Monday wasnamed to the 2009 All-PCL Team, along with 51s first baseman Randy Ruiz.

Bowker also has 21 homers, 83 RBIs and 82 runs in 104 games, with 74 walks and 64 strikeouts.

A third-round draft pick of the Giants in 2004 out of Long Beach State, the 6-foot-2-inch Bowker reached base for the 34th straight game Monday to extend the second-longest such streak in the league this year.

''He's been a model of consistency for us,'' Fresno manager Dan Rohn said. ''He's been patient at the plate and his walks-to-strikeouts ratio is unbelievable.

''What's really set him apart from everybody else is he's swinging at pitches he wants to hit instead of chasing stuff.''

But Bowker was unable to maintain his plate discipline in two separate stints this season with San Francisco. He walked once, struck out 10 times and only hit .182 (6-for-33) with one homer and five RBIs in 13 games.

''When I got called up (July 9th), I wasn't really swinging the bat that well,'' he said. ''I was too aggressive and swinging at stuff in the dirt, and not being patient.

''Maybe I was putting a little pressure on myself, but the next time I get called up, I'm going to go up there and relax and have fun up there.''

Bowker said he likes his chances to get called up today, when major league rosters expand from 25 to 40 players.

''He seems to go up there and swing at everything,'' Rohn said. ''He's got to be patient like he is here, get the pitch he wants to hit and not miss it when he gets it.

''It's always easy to get there, but it's harder to stay.''

Despite his struggles earlier this season, Bowker is confident he can contribute to the Giants' playoff run.

''I feel like I can go up there and help, maybe be a bat off the bench or maybe start.''

* NOTES -- The Toronto Blue Jays are expected to promote three 51s today: utilityman Joe Inglett and relief pitchers Dirk Hayhurst and Brian Wolfe.

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0354.