On a day that featured plenty of stars, it was the Seth Beer of the Arizona Diamondbacks who stole the show on Opening Day. Trailing all game, just when it looked like the D-Backs would begin their season 0-1, Beer stepped to the plate and came through in the clutch.
Taking on their National League West division foes in the San Diego Padres, the Diamondbacks were losing 2-0 with just three outs remaining when a ninth-inning rally got started. Robert Suarez entered the game for the Padres in relief, but control issues led to his ultimate demise.
First Christian Walker reached base by taking a walk, then Pavin Smith did the same before Suarez hit Carson Kelly to load the bases. Suarez then had a wild pitch, allowing Walker to score, making the score 2-1.
Then it was up to young first baseman Seth Beer who cracked the game wide open with a three-run home run, sending the Diamondbacks home as winners.
After acquiring Beer from the Houston Astros in the trade sending out Zach Greinke, Beer spent just 124 games in the minors with the D-Backs before making his major league debut. It was then that he became just one of 129 players to hit a home run in first professional at-bat.
Now Beer slammed the second home run in his young career, making No. 2 arguably just as memorable as his first. It’s safe to say the 25-year-old power hitter will have plenty more dingers in his professional career. What a way to begin his first full season in the big leagues, on a night he’ll never forget.