ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

Hometown kid Cole Tucker hits first-career homer at Chase Field

May 14, 2019, 9:50 PM
Pittsburgh Pirates' Cole Tucker celebrates his two-run home run with Melky Cabrera (53) during the ...

Pittsburgh Pirates' Cole Tucker celebrates his two-run home run with Melky Cabrera (53) during the eighth inning of the team's baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Tuesday, May 14, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)

(AP Photo/Matt York)

One player received cheers louder than any other on both Monday and Tuesday night at Chase Field and that player is not a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Pittsburgh Pirates rookie shortstop Cole Tucker is a Valley native who attended Mountain Pointe High School before being drafted No. 24 overall by the Pirates in 2014.

He received strong ovations each time he took the plate in the D-backs’ first two games against Pittsburgh and both nights he had an energized section of supporters.

Tucker gave himself and those in attendance a moment they won’t forget Tuesday when he homered for the second time in the majors and the first time at Chase Field.

Tucker told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette all about his time as a D-back fan growing up in Ahwatukee.

Tucker’s aunt and uncle had season tickets in the upper deck behind home plate when he was a kid, so he went to 15 or 20 games a year. He was at Game 7 of the 2001 World Series, when Luis Gonzalez’s walk-off single against Mariano Rivera clinched the Series for the Diamondbacks. He watched Mike Piazza hit one out of the building, through the rafters. He watched Orlando Hudson hit a woman in the face with a foul ball and he watched Alfonso Soriano draw closer to a 40-40 season.

“This is home. I grew up coming to games here,” Tucker said. “I learned baseball here, I taught myself how to read by reading the D-backs media guides.”

It was hard not to share a smile with Tucker, who couldn’t help himself rounding the bases.

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Luke Weaver watches a delivery to a Pittsburgh Pirates batter during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 14, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Joe Musgrove throws to an Arizona Diamondbacks batter during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 14, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) Pittsburgh Pirates' Gregory Polanco (25) tosses his bat after striking out against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, May 14, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Joe Musgrove watches a delivery to the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 14, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) Pittsburgh Pirates' Josh Bell watches his two-run home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the fifth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 14, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) Pittsburgh Pirates' Josh Bell celebrates his two-run home run with Gregory Polanco (25), during the fifth inning of the team's baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday, May 14, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) Pittsburgh Pirates' Starling Marte (6) is greeted in the dugout after scoring during the third inning of the team's baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday, May 14, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Joe Musgrove walks to the bench after the sixth inning of the team's baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday, May 14, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) Pittsburgh Pirates' Starling Marte takes third on a base hit by Gregory Polanco during the third inning of the team's baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Tuesday, May 14, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Joe Musgrove watches a delivery to the Arizona Diamondbacks during the seventh inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 14, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) Pittsburgh Pirates' Josh Bell celebrates his solo home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the eighth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 14, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Elias Diaz checks on home plate umpire Lance Barksdale after Barksdale was hit by a pitch during the second inning of the team's baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Tuesday, May 14, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Melky Cabrera reacts to flying out against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the third inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 14, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) Pittsburgh Pirates' Josh Bell drops his bat after hitting a home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the eighth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 14, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zack Godley adjusts his cap after giving up a home run to the Pittsburgh Pirates during the eighth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 14, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) Pittsburgh Pirates' Gregory Polanco (25) is forced out by Arizona Diamondbacks' Nick Ahmed (13) on a ball hit by Josh Bell during the third inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 14, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) Pittsburgh Pirates' Josh Bell takes a knee after an inside pitch from the Arizona Diamondbacks during the third inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 14, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) Pittsburgh Pirates' Cole Tucker celebrates his two-run home run with Melky Cabrera (53) during the eighth inning of the team's baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Tuesday, May 14, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) Pittsburgh Pirates' Gregory Polanco, left, and Arizona Diamondbacks' Nick Ahmed watch Josh Bell reach first safely after Polanco was forced out during the third inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 14, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Joe Musgrove throws to an Arizona Diamondbacks batter during the fourth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 14, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) Arizona Diamondbacks' Carson Kelly crosses home plate after hitting a solo home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the eighth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 14, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Michael Feliz celebrates with catcher Elias Diaz after the team's baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Tuesday, May 14, 2019, in Phoenix. The Pirates won 6-2. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Arizona Diamondbacks

Arizona Diamondbacks' Kyle Lewis, right, scores after hitting a two-run home run as Los Angeles Dod...
Associated Press

D-backs stun Dodgers with pinch-hit homer in 8th inning

Kyle Lewis had a pinch-hit, go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth inning and the Diamondbacks rallied to beat the Dodgers 2-1 on Friday night.
22 hours ago
Anthony Misiewicz #72 of the St. Louis Cardinals poses for a portrait during St. Louis Cardinals Ph...
Arizona Sports

D-backs trade for LHP Anthony Misiewicz; Corbin Martin to 60-day IL

The Arizona Diamondbacks traded cash considerations to acquire left-handed pitcher Anthony Misiewicz from the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday.
22 hours ago
(Photo by Mark Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images)...
Arizona Sports

How to watch the Suns, D-backs and Coyotes on Friday

It's going to be a busy night of athletics to end March with three of the Valley's four major sports teams in action on Friday.
22 hours ago
Follow @AZSports...
Haboob Blog

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. lives every emotion as Dodgers fan proposes on field, gets walloped

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. went from celebrating to shock as a Dodgers fan who ran onto the field proposed before getting tackled.
22 hours ago
Julio Urias #7 of the Los Angeles Dodgers opening pitch against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the...
Arizona Sports

D-backs take issue with new Dodger Stadium LED lights

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo didn't blame the Dodger Stadium LED lights for a loss, but he did not like how they changed during play.
22 hours ago
Zac Gallen #23 of the Arizona Diamondbacks pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first...
Jake Anderson

D-backs’ Zac Gallen roughed up in Opening Day loss to Dodgers despite 7 Ks

Zac Gallen struggled with the PitchCom device throughout his outing, having to place it back on his glove after it fell off multiple times.
22 hours ago
Hometown kid Cole Tucker hits first-career homer at Chase Field