Edwin Encarnacion was acquired by Toronto on July 31, 2009, in a deadline trade that sent third baseman Scott Rolen to Cincinnati. Encarnacion had once been advertised as a future star with the Reds, but they were disillusioned by that summer and the rumors at the time had them insisting the Blue Jays take the 26-year-old along with two pitchers in exchange for Rolen.
Encarnacion's reputation that offseason took another hit: He was back home in the Dominican Republic and was hit in the face with a rocket firecracker. He survived that and then missed 30 games early in 2010 because of an arm injury.
He returned to the Blue Jays lineup on May 18 and hit a two-run homer off the Twins' Carl Pavano in Toronto. That was a warmup.
The Blue Jays came to Minnesota for the final series of the first season in Target Field. The Twins were headed for the postseason, and three consecutive losses to the Yankees, but faced quite a power barrage from the Blue Jays.
In the opener, Encarnacion and Jose Bautista hit two home runs apiece and the Blue Jays totaled six. Fans might recall that this was when Target Field's combination of long distances and the legendary "wet cement" was keeping fly balls in the ballpark.
Encarnacion's two home runs in the Thursday game came off Francisco Liriano. He hit another Friday, a three-runner off Jesse Crain. He hit another off Brian Duensing on Saturday. And he concluded with a home run off Nick Blackburn on Sunday.
Five home runs and 10 RBI in his four games at Target Field.
This five home runs were mentioned to Encarnacion on Sunday, as he represented the Yankees in an interview session in advance on Monday's Game 3 at Target Field — which could result in a third consecutive Yankees postseason sweep over the Twins.