The first went to his parents.

“We’ve talked about it, how cool it would be to make that call, to tell them I was getting called up, and it was all that and then some,” Bacus said.

Then as he made the 90-mile drive from the Nationals’ training site to Baltimore, the inbox on Bacus’ phone filled up with text and voices messages.

“I’ve always been fortunate to have a lot of support from the folks back home, really from every step along the way, and I’ve always appreciated that,” Bacus said. “I heard from so many people, old high school friends, teammates, folks I’ve known for a long time.”

It was during the drive when Bacus felt a few nerves, probably more so than when he took the mound.

“On the drive up, there were a lot of thoughts racing through my mind, but when I got to the dugout I just told myself something I’ve believed in for a long time,” Bacus said. “It was still 60 feet, 6 inches and really, thinking about that helped calm my nerves.”

Remaining true to himself gave Bacus the chance to compete.

Working in 225 minor-league games over eight seasons since being drafted in the ninth round in 2012 has tested Bacus, who had spent the majority of a season at the Triple-A level for the first time a year ago when he earned Pacific Coast League all-star honors while pitching for Fresno.