If you’re a fan of the invisible parrot Edwin Encarnacion takes for a stroll as he rounds the bases after home runs, you were in luck Saturday.
The Toronto Blue Jays slugger went 3-for-5, mashing three home runs and driving in nine runs in a 15-1 win over the Detroit Tigers at Rogers Centre. According to Ryan Field of Fox Sports, only one other player in Blue Jays history has attained nine RBI in a game:
Encarnacion’s first dinger of the game, a three-run shot for Toronto’s first runs of the day, came against Buck Farmer in the first inning. The home run also extended Encarnacion’s hit streak to 24 games:
It’s safe to say Encarnacion has been the most dangerous hitter in baseball during this stretch, as the Canadian Press’ Stephen Whyno noted:
Guido Knudson was the next pitcher to suffer at the hands of Encarnacion, who belted a two-run home run in the sixth that left the building in a hurry. With the Blue Jays already holding a 7-1 lead, Encarnacion scorched Knudson’s offering, delivering a rocket that cleared the left field wall in a little over three seconds.
Encarnacion put the cherry on top of his big day in the bottom of the seventh inning. With the bases loaded and the game out of sight, he whipped the Toronto crowd into a frenzy by hitting an opposite-field grand slam that just cleared the right-center field wall.
Rounding the bases, fans threw their caps on the field, celebrating Encarnacion’s hat-trick of home runs on Saturday. The hero of the day took to Twitter and Instagram after the game:
Things have been going swell for the team north of the border, as the Blue Jays are now two games clear of the New York Yankees for first place in the American League East.
Toronto is the hottest team in baseball, posting a 23-5 record since July 29 while pouring in runs as the majors’ most explosive team. A lot of that is thanks to Encarnacion, who represents a nightmare for any opposing pitcher.
Videos courtesy of MLB.com.
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