Steady Eddie: A look back at five big moments over Encarnacion’s time in Toronto

TORONTO — Edwin Encarnacion’s strong run with the Toronto Blue Jays ended this week when the veteran slugger agreed to terms on a three-year deal with the Cleveland Indians.

Here’s a look back at five of Encarnacion’s big moments in a Toronto uniform:

WILD WALKOFF 

It was a no-doubt home run from the moment it left the bat.

Encarnacion turned on an Ubaldo Jimenez offering in the 11th inning and immediately extended his arms in the air.

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The ball eventually landed in the second level of seats at Rogers Centre to give the Blue Jays a 5-2 walkoff victory over the Baltimore Orioles in the 2016 American League wild-card game on Oct. 4.

The Blue Jays went on to sweep the Texas Rangers in the AL Division Series before falling to Encarnacion’s new team in five-games during the AL Championship Series.

FORGOTTEN HOMER

Lost in the shuffle after the craziest inning in Blue Jays history was Encarnacion’s key solo shot in the decisive Game 5 of the 2015 ALDS against Texas.

He hit a sixth-inning blast off Cole Hamels that tied the game at two and energized the crowd at Rogers Centre.

The Rangers pulled ahead again an inning later when Toronto catcher Russell Martin’s throw back to the pitcher hit Shin-Soo Choo’s bat and Rougned Odor scampered home. Confusion about the play led to frustration and anger throughout the stadium. 

The Blue Jays tied the game in the bottom half and Jose Bautista would put Toronto up to stay with his epic bat-flip homer off Sam Dyson. 

HAT TRICK

Rogers Centre felt like a hockey arena on Aug. 29, 2015.

Encarnacion belted three home runs against the Detroit Tigers in a 15-1 laugher that day. Hats rained down on the Rogers Centre turf when Encarnacion’s third blast gave him a home run hat trick.

The slugger later posed for a photo with a giant bag of hats by his locker-room stall. 

Encarnacion also tied Roy Howell’s franchise record with nine RBIs in one game.

MAY DAY

A quiet April led to a May to remember for Encarnacion in 2014.

He set a team record with a whopping 16 homers that month and tied a major-league mark with five multi-homer games in a month.

Encarnacion, who hit only two home runs in April that season, went deep twice off Kansas City Royals starter James Shields in an 8-6 loss on May 29.

The Rogers Centre crowd gave him a standing ovation after his second no-doubt blast left the stadium.

HANG MAN

Encarnacion moved into a tie for the major-league home run lead with his ninth-inning walkoff blast on July 2, 2014 against the Milwaukee Brewers.

His 26th homer of the season gave the Blue Jays a 7-4 victory. Encarnacion also delivered after the game with one of his best quotes.

“He hang it, I bang it,” he said.

It’s a phrase that must make Brandon Kinztler grimace. The Brewers reliever gave up the second-level homer with two outs in the ninth inning.

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Follow @GregoryStrongCP on Twitter.

Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press