Tulsa Drillers pitcher Deck McGuire was sitting in the dugout during Tuesday night's game when he was informed someone needed to speak with him on the phone.
It was Gabe Kapler, the Los Angeles Dodgers director of player development.
With the Oklahoma City Dodgers pitching staff laboring through what would eventually be a 19-inning first game of Tuesday's doubleheader, Kapler informed McGuire he'd been promoted from Class AA Tulsa to Class AAA Oklahoma City.
Not the next day, not after the Drillers game, but immediately.
So McGuire left the ballpark, climbed in his car and made the 106-mile drive from ONEOK Field in Tulsa to Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City.
"It was an easy drive," McGuire told The Oklahoman's Trent Shadid, "but I did have to pay the [Turner Turnpike] tolls."
McGuire arrived in plenty of time for the second game, claiming he even drove the speed limit, and got the victory with three innings of relief as the Dodgers topped the Iowa Cubs 3-1 to sweep the doubleheader. The lanky 6-foot-6 right-hander surrendered 3 hits and 1 run with 1 strikeout and 2 walks.
"It's definitely a new way to get called up," said McGuire, who helped Oklahoma City improve its first-place lead in the Pacific Coast League division to five games.
"It was pretty crazy. They obviously needed some help, being in a pennant race, so I was just happy I could come out here and help out."
The Dodgers (82-55) defeated the Cubs 6-4 in the first game behind a two-run walk-off home run from Buck Britton.
Oklahoma City used all eight available pitchers in that game, having to save Ramon Troncoso to start the second game. Troncoso pitched four scoreless innings before being replaced by McGuire.
"It's the longest day I've ever had," said Oklahoma City Manager Damon Berryhill, who is in his 28th season involved in professional baseball. "[Playing] in the big leagues, I was involved in a 19-inning game in Pittsburgh, but never a full day like this."
The Dodgers and Cubs played a combined 7 hours, 31 minutes in the doubleheader that started at 4:35 p.m. and concluded at 12:47 a.m. with the first game lasting 5 hours, 44 minutes.
And fries on the side
Chiefs Coach Andy Reid, to the Kansas City Star, on the euphoria he gets from dialing up a perfect play call: "That's a pretty good feeling. That's like a good cheeseburger."
Another no-hitter
From comedy writer Alex Kaseberg: "Chicago Cubs' Jake Arrieta tossed a no-hitter Sunday against the Dodgers. Best no-hitter I've seen since the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight."
Sports quiz
In the 1970s, two MLB players named "Bill" tossed no-hitters. Name them.
Answer
Bill Singer for the Dodgers on July 20, 1970, and Bill Stoneman for the Expos on Oct. 2, 1972.
Sports on 09/03/2015