The future looks bright in Cincinnati, as Reds rookie Christian Encarnacion-Strand hit a clutch, pinch-hit, go-ahead bomb for his first career home run on Tuesday night.
The Cincinnati Reds have a very bright future ahead of them, considering the prospects they have called up have made immediate impacts. Elly De La Cruz may be the most electrifying player in the league currently with his speed and power, while Matt McClain is putting up really good numbers at the plate. But the Reds weren't done calling up prospects just yet, as they decided to bring in third baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand on Monday (first reported by FanSided MLB insider Robert Murray).
On Tuesday, in his second major league game, Encarnacion-Strand was called upon in the fifth inning to pinch-hit for Jake Fraley. With De La Cruz reaching base on a single and McClain getting walked, Encarnacion didn't waste any time bringing them across home plate. On an 0-2 pitch, Encarnacion-Strand crushed a go-ahead, three-run homer into upper deck seats in left field to give Cincinnati an 8-7 lead.
And Reds fans at Great American Ball Park went nuts.
Reds: Christian Encarnacion-Strand crushes first career home run in his second game played
What a way for Encarnacion-Strand to hit his first career homer. Coming in as a pinch-hitter, down 7-5, with former Triple-A Louisville teammates De La Cruz and McClain on base. Then, he drove them all home with a 426-foot home run with an exit velocity of 105.8 mph (per the Reds' official Twitter account).
In his MLB debut on Monday, batting seventh in the lineup as Cincinnati's designated hitter. Encarnacion-Strand went 0-for-3 at the plate but didn't strike out or walk once. So, his home run on Tuesday was also his first career hit as well.
During his time in Triple-A this season, Encarnacion-Strand recorded a .331 batting average, a .405 on-base percentage, a .637 slugging percentage, 20 home runs, 62 RBI, 65 runs scored, and 92 hits in 67 games (278 at-bats).
Encarnacion-Strand's first-ever hit will be one to remember — a pinch-hit, go-ahead, upper-deck home run.
