Beer hits first career homer as D-Backs lose
Seth Beer stood on deck and let the emotions hit him. He was about to take his first at-bat in the major leagues. Nerves were to be expected. What he didn’t want was for them to overwhelm him. Based on what came next, Beer didn’t seem too bothered by them.
In his first career trip to the plate, Beer connected for a solo home run, giving the Diamondbacks a memorable moment in another mostly forgettable night.
In losing to the Seattle Mariners, 5-4, at T-Mobile Park on Friday night, the Diamondbacks got career home runs No. 1 from both Beer and Henry Ramos, but left-hander Madison Bumgarner had another rough outing, giving up five earned runs for the third consecutive start.
The loss was the Diamondbacks’ sixth in a row and their 11th in their past 12 games. It dropped them to 45-96. They are on pace for 110 losses. With eight games left on a road trip that also includes stops at Dodger Stadium and Minute Maid Park, the Diamondbacks appear likely to return to Chase Field later this month having already reached the 100-loss plateau.
All of that is easier to set aside after moments like Beer’s. Pinch-hitting in the eighth, he hooked a sinker down in the zone from Mariners right-hander Diego Castillo, knocking it over the fence in right field. He became the fourth Diamondbacks player in history to homer in his first at-bat, following Alex Cabrera (June 26, 2000), Gerardo Parra (May 13, 2009) and John Hester (August 28, 2009).
“I just had to understand I’m going to be nervous, but I’m going to go out there and give it everything I’ve got,” Beer said. “I was just trying to compete and put myself in the best situation to have success.”
Beer said his parents, his sister and his girlfriend and her family were in town from Georgia to see his debut, and he said he saw “just chaos” when he looked into their section in the stands as he rounded third base.
“I can’t even still put it into words,” Beer said. “It’s almost just a blur. To look up there and see all the people that have helped me get to this point — my mom and my dad, I could see my dad tearing up and my mom crying. They’ve sacrificed so much for me to get here. My sister, as well.”
For Bumgarner, the outing extended his recent stretch of struggles. In his past four starts, he has given up 19 earned runs in 23 innings, with 26 hits, including seven homers, and 13 walks allowed.