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After seven years in the MLB and only two seasons where he hit over 20 home runs Edwin Encarnacion has clubbed 38 circuit clouts this season. Jose Bautista was of similar production before his explosive 2010 season. The batting tips that have made their power skyrocket seem to have made their way around the Blue Jays clubhouse; the squad is fourth in homers trailing the Yankees, White Sox, and Orioles. A kid sitting near a Terry Francona doppelganger made a catch of a foul ball using his ungainly large glove. Perhaps having someone who resembled his father figure nearby inspired Dustin Pedroia. The second baseman knocked a solo shot into the parking lot in the eighth, pulling his team within two runs. But Colby Rasmus powered a two-run shot in the top of the next frame, rendering useless Mauro Gomez’s two-run homer in the ninth. Game 139: September 7, 2012 Toronto Blue Jays62-75 7 W: Henderson Alvarez (8-12)H: Steve Delabar (8)2B: Brett Lawrie (21)3B: Colby Rasmus (5)HR: Edwin Encarnacion (38), Moises Sierra (4), Rasmus (22) Boston Red Sox63-76 5 L: Felix Doubront (10-8) 2B: Cody Ross (29)HR: Dustin Pedroia (13), Mauro Gomez (2)...
Pedro Ciriaco played as if infused with the spirit of Dustin Pedroia but had the speed of Emilio Bonifacio. The replacement middle infielder went 4-for-5 with four runs batted in. His key at bat was in the sixth inning with the bases loaded, one out, and the score 3-2 in favor in the visitors. The first pitch Ciriaco saw out of Phil Hughes’s hand skittered down the left field line. By the time Andruw Jones reached the ball Ciriaco was at second and his team had a 5-3 lead. His heroics earned him the chant of his first name, something not heard since our beloved future Hall of Famer toed the mound. Ciriaco may have been the player with the highest number and/or the fewest at bats that was serenaded with his name. Mauro Gomez was impressive with his bat (3-for-4 with 2 runs and a run batted in) but didn’t inspire as much admiration. It may have been because of his two errors in a single play in the first inning. He flubbed Derek Jeter’s grounder and in an effort to make up for the lost seconds hurried his throw to first so that even Adrian Gonzalez couldn’t catch...
Daisuke Matsuzaka tallied only three outs even though he faced nine batters. Two batters, Josh Reddick and Brandon Moss, homered. Unsurprisingly, the pitcher ended up on the disabled list. The stated injury was a strained right trapezius, the muscle that extends from the neck to the shoulder. Mauro Gomez was called up to replace the ailing hurler. Reddick was part of the package sent to Oakland for Andrew Bailey and Ryan Sweeney this past offseason. Moss was part of the three-way deal between the Dodgers, the Pirates, and the Red Sox in which Manny Ramirez went to Los Angeles and Jason Bay came to Fenway. At least Coco Crisp kept it down to a dull roar by going 0-3 with a base on balls. Game 80: July 2, 2012 Boston Red Sox42-38 1 L: Daisuke Matsuzaka (0-3) 2B: Daniel Nava (16) Oakland Athletics39-42 6 W: Jarrod Parker (5-3) 2B: Seth Smith (13)HR: Josh Reddick (19), Brandon Moss (9)...
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Photo courtesy of the Boston Public Library’s Sports Temples of Boston.