Christian Encarnacion-Strand Takes 24 Hours, but Starts his Big League Career in Style

It did not take long. On Monday just after he had been called up from Triple A Lousiville, Christian Encarnacion-Strand stepped to the plate against the San Francisco Giants and got a near standing ovation welcome by Cincinnati Reds fans in the Great American Ballpark. He flew out on a harmless soft flyball to right field. He was 0-for-2 in his at bats in a 2-2 game that was delayed in the late innings an suspended to be finished on Tuesday. Encarnacion-Strand was 0-for-1 in the finish to go 0-for-3 in his first game. 

The masher at Oklahoma State and every step of the way in the minor leagues, Encarnacion-Strand went 2-for-3 in his second game and in the fifth inning stepped up as a pinch hitter and drilled a three-run home run blast to the upper deck in left field. His first hit and and it was a home run. He finished 2-for-3 in the game with the three RBIs. The Giants won the game 11-10 in a slugfest.

Christian Encarnacion-Strand was not in the starting line-up for the Reds game on Wednesday with the San Francisco Giants.