Post by bischof21 on Apr 3, 2008 6:42:41 GMT -5
www.thelotd.com/ctrent/blog/2008/04/02/redemption_song_sung_by_encarnacion
The handwringing over Reds third baseman had already begun in earnest. After a slow spring with the bat, Encarnacion committed his second error in two games in the fifth inning of Wednesday’s game against the Diamondbacks.
And even as Encarnacion was being blasted and booed for not being able to get down a bunt with two on and no outs in the bottom of the ninth, Arizona closer Brandon Lyon’s 2-2 pitch found its way into Encarnacion’s wheelhouse and the 25-year old hit his first career walkoff home run, giving Cincinnati a 6-5 victory over Arizona for its first win of the season.
“I’m glad I could make contact. I try to make contact with two strikes and I know if I make contact anything can happen,” Encarnacion said.
Before the home run, Encarnacion had two errors on the season and no hits. On Monday, his throwing error led to Arizona’s first-inning run. Wednesday, he uncorked a wild throw home with bases loaded to allow the tying run to score against starter Bronson Arroyo. Later in the inning, a sacrifice fly gave Arizona a 4-3 lead.
“I just tried to be aggressive and throw it as fast as I could to the plate,” Encarnacion said of his error on Eric Byrnes’ dribbler down the line. “I made an error, but that’s part of the game. There’s nothing I could do, I just kept my head up and kept playing. We had five more innings to go and anything could happen.”
That’s the message his teammate, Brandon Phillips, said he imparted on the Reds’ young third baseman.
“I told him, don’t get down. Even the good players make errors,” Phillips said. “I told him he was going to come back and win this game for us.”
Phillips did his part to set it up. First, he hit a two-run homer (his first of the season) in the fourth inning to give the Reds their first lead of the season. Then leading off the ninth and the team down two runs, he singled.
“My job, being the leadoff hitter of the inning, my No. 1 thing is getting on base,” said Phillips, who singled to right before Adam Dunn followed with an opposite-field single. “Dunner came through. We all believe in Edwin, even though he had a tough spring.”
Phillips said he caught Encarnacion’s eye as he walked to the plate with Phillips on second and Dunn on first.
“When he was walking toward the plate, we smiled at each other,” Phillips said.
With runners on first and second and nobody out, Encarnacion was called on to bunt even though he has zero sacrifice hits in his major league career and six in the minors (and only three since his first year of professional baseball with the Gulf Coast League Rangers in 2000).
He pulled back one attempt for a strike and then was called for another strike as he looked to stab at the ball and pull it back nearly simultaneously.
"Looking at it now, maybe I should have just thrown it down the middle and let him bunt it," Lyon said. "Obviously you can’t think about that there. You’re trying to make quality pitches. I was trying to go away and I left it over the plate and maybe even in and he put a good swing on it."
Before the bunt attempts, manager Dusty Baker -- who ordered the bunt -- said he turned to bench coach Chris Speier with an odd thought.
“He hadn’t been swinging well. You can’t let him swing in that situation,” Baker said. “I told Chris, ‘Chris I kinda hope he doesn’t get it down so he can hit a three-run homer.’ And he hit a three-run homer."
Encarnacion dashed around the bases and then threw his helmet in the air in celebration as he neared home to be greeted by a throng of teammates.
“He went up there to bunt, and even though he can’t bunt worth (anything), he can still hit, I’ll tell you that,” Phillips said.
Encarnacion hit .360 last season with runners in scoring position, the best of any of the Reds regulars.
“I never put pressure on myself, if you do, you’re never going to hit like you’re supposed to hit. I just wanted to be aggressive,” Encarnacion said.
Although Encarnacion said he didn’t put any added pressure on himself because of his errors or his slow start, Baker said he thought he saw Encarnacion pushing.
“He’s been tearing himself up internally, you could see it,” Baker said. “You look at him with runners in scoring position, he’s been a clutch man.”
And he was once again – even when everyone else was counting him out.
“I know I’m going to have a great year,” Encarnacion said. “I know I’m going to hit and I know I’m going to help my team win games. I’m not worried if I’m not hitting now, I know I’m going to hit.”
The handwringing over Reds third baseman had already begun in earnest. After a slow spring with the bat, Encarnacion committed his second error in two games in the fifth inning of Wednesday’s game against the Diamondbacks.
And even as Encarnacion was being blasted and booed for not being able to get down a bunt with two on and no outs in the bottom of the ninth, Arizona closer Brandon Lyon’s 2-2 pitch found its way into Encarnacion’s wheelhouse and the 25-year old hit his first career walkoff home run, giving Cincinnati a 6-5 victory over Arizona for its first win of the season.
“I’m glad I could make contact. I try to make contact with two strikes and I know if I make contact anything can happen,” Encarnacion said.
Before the home run, Encarnacion had two errors on the season and no hits. On Monday, his throwing error led to Arizona’s first-inning run. Wednesday, he uncorked a wild throw home with bases loaded to allow the tying run to score against starter Bronson Arroyo. Later in the inning, a sacrifice fly gave Arizona a 4-3 lead.
“I just tried to be aggressive and throw it as fast as I could to the plate,” Encarnacion said of his error on Eric Byrnes’ dribbler down the line. “I made an error, but that’s part of the game. There’s nothing I could do, I just kept my head up and kept playing. We had five more innings to go and anything could happen.”
That’s the message his teammate, Brandon Phillips, said he imparted on the Reds’ young third baseman.
“I told him, don’t get down. Even the good players make errors,” Phillips said. “I told him he was going to come back and win this game for us.”
Phillips did his part to set it up. First, he hit a two-run homer (his first of the season) in the fourth inning to give the Reds their first lead of the season. Then leading off the ninth and the team down two runs, he singled.
“My job, being the leadoff hitter of the inning, my No. 1 thing is getting on base,” said Phillips, who singled to right before Adam Dunn followed with an opposite-field single. “Dunner came through. We all believe in Edwin, even though he had a tough spring.”
Phillips said he caught Encarnacion’s eye as he walked to the plate with Phillips on second and Dunn on first.
“When he was walking toward the plate, we smiled at each other,” Phillips said.
With runners on first and second and nobody out, Encarnacion was called on to bunt even though he has zero sacrifice hits in his major league career and six in the minors (and only three since his first year of professional baseball with the Gulf Coast League Rangers in 2000).
He pulled back one attempt for a strike and then was called for another strike as he looked to stab at the ball and pull it back nearly simultaneously.
"Looking at it now, maybe I should have just thrown it down the middle and let him bunt it," Lyon said. "Obviously you can’t think about that there. You’re trying to make quality pitches. I was trying to go away and I left it over the plate and maybe even in and he put a good swing on it."
Before the bunt attempts, manager Dusty Baker -- who ordered the bunt -- said he turned to bench coach Chris Speier with an odd thought.
“He hadn’t been swinging well. You can’t let him swing in that situation,” Baker said. “I told Chris, ‘Chris I kinda hope he doesn’t get it down so he can hit a three-run homer.’ And he hit a three-run homer."
Encarnacion dashed around the bases and then threw his helmet in the air in celebration as he neared home to be greeted by a throng of teammates.
“He went up there to bunt, and even though he can’t bunt worth (anything), he can still hit, I’ll tell you that,” Phillips said.
Encarnacion hit .360 last season with runners in scoring position, the best of any of the Reds regulars.
“I never put pressure on myself, if you do, you’re never going to hit like you’re supposed to hit. I just wanted to be aggressive,” Encarnacion said.
Although Encarnacion said he didn’t put any added pressure on himself because of his errors or his slow start, Baker said he thought he saw Encarnacion pushing.
“He’s been tearing himself up internally, you could see it,” Baker said. “You look at him with runners in scoring position, he’s been a clutch man.”
And he was once again – even when everyone else was counting him out.
“I know I’m going to have a great year,” Encarnacion said. “I know I’m going to hit and I know I’m going to help my team win games. I’m not worried if I’m not hitting now, I know I’m going to hit.”