Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
LOS ANGELES — “Thank You, Next” blasted in the Giants clubhouse, standard for the post-victory haze of an atmosphere, as Tyler Beede began fielding questions.
He would be forgiven if he wanted to savor this one just a little bit longer.
The Giants’ 3-2 victory over the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on Monday was a result five years in the making. A lifetime in the making, actually. Beede, the 2014 first-round pick, no longer has a “0” on the left side of his ledger.
“I’m proud of the decisions that I’ve made to get to this point,” said a clear-eyed Beede, now 1-3 in seven career starts. “The support system that’s allowed me to stay grounded. Stay persistent. Persevere through some tough years. Whether it was college or pro ball. It wasn’t an easy road.”
But it was not a road to nowhere. Beede, who toiled in the minors until last year, when his promotion led to two disastrous starts, threw six strong, one-run innings, his control as erratic (five walks) as his stuff was electric (seven strikeouts, including some that made stars such as Cody Bellinger look like rookies). He allowed just three hits, mostly untouchable save for a Max Muncy bomb.
“When it came time to make a pitch tonight, I thought I made a good enough pitch,” Beede, 24, said.
His battery mate, Stephen Vogt, has caught him with Triple-A Sacramento, too, and said he’s seen Beede have better control. But his curveball, fastball (living around 95 mph) and changeup were nasty enough to compensate.
Through four career starts, Beede had a 12 ERA. Now, he’s a winning pitcher with something to build off.
“He figured out a way to make pitches when he needed to and figured out a way to get outs. And that’s to me a sign of someone who’s trending in the right direction,” Vogt said of Beede, who lowered his ERA to 6.67. “And what a great first win for him. I’m sure he would’ve preferred to get it a while ago. But to get a win here at Dodger Stadium is pretty special for him.”
Bruce Bochy said Beede’s work “gave us what we needed.” It was what Beede needed, too. The college star out of Vanderbilt, whose stuff has so teased but has never put it all together, finally had his moment.
“This more than anything solidifies the experience and my ability to come back after a rough year,” Beede said.
It was a nationally televised game that put Beede, who’s from Worcester, Mass., on center stage. He had an audience bigger than the 42,479 on hand.
“For the most part, [my family was] able to stay up and watch, and that’s super cool,” Beede said. “I dreamed of being on this stage, on this level, credit to the people who’ve followed me back home and supported me through these different steps.”