Arizona Diamondbacks closer Paul Sewald blew his third straight save opportunity Monday night, a terrible, baffling run that has demoralized D-back fans.
Diamondbacks play-by-play man Steve Berthiaume felt those fans’ pain after Sewald gave up a two-run, game-tying home run in the ninth inning to Atlanta Braves catcher Sean Murphy.
“This is hit deep to right-center. And it’s happened again,” Berthiaume said, his disappointment clear. “Once again they were a strike away and now it’s 3-3.”
“This is hit deep to right-center. And it’s happened again.”
Steve Berthiaume calls another Paul Sewald blown save, his third straight. https://t.co/JGOG0tQCWU pic.twitter.com/34JtsQMko6
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) July 9, 2024
You can’t blame Berthiaume for being stunned and disappointed with Sewald’s last three outings. The normally reliable closer has been mostly outstanding in 2024, allowing only one earned run in his first 18 appearances.
Then the calendar turned to July, and Sewald has been getting hammered. In three appearances this month, he’s given up seven earned runs in 1.2 innings. That includes two ninth-inning home runs, by Jurickson Profar and Manny Machado, in the San Diego Padres’ wild 10-8 win over Arizona Friday night.
Now, after Monday’s 5-4 Atlanta win in 11 innings, the D-backs have lost all three of those games.
Sooner or later, these terrible slumps happen for every player. As any sports announcer covering a local team will tell you, it’s much easier making calls when the team is winning and doing well. Sewald will get through this, and Berthiaume will be able to get back to having fun again, rather than sounding like a funeral director.
Here’s Berthiaume in happier times just last week, when Christian Walker went on a home run binge.
“ANOTHER ONE’S ON ITS WAY. CHRISTIAN WALKER HAS TAKEN OVER DODGER STADIUM. THERE IS NO EXPLANATION FOR THIS. IT JUST GOES ON AND ON AND ON. IT’S AMAZING.”
Steve Berthiaume on the call as Christian Walker hits another home run at Dodger Stadium.
Seven in six games. pic.twitter.com/KvpPCnUiGZ
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) July 5, 2024
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