Blue Jays battery mates make history with back-to-back homers
The unexpected occurred last night during the Toronto Blue Jays contest versus the Atlanta Braves when the Jays battery mates made American League history going back-to-back in the fourth inning of a 9-0 trouncing.
Light-hitting catcher Luke Maile and pitcher Marcus Stroman became the first American League pitcher/catcher duo to go back-to-back in an Interleague contest.
The 26-year old catcher is known for his defensive prowess, not his power with the lumber. Last night’s homer was his fourth in 70 career games and his first as a member of the Blue Jays. Maile has filled in admirably defensively for the injured Russell Martin.
Maile set the table roping an 84 MPH hanging slider over the left field wall off Braves hurler Julio Teheran.
https://mediadownloads.mlb.com/mlbam/mp4/2017/05/19/1402617383/1495157220183/asset_1800K.mp4Pitcher Marcus Stroman played infield while a member of Duke University and it showed as he went opposite field after fouling off a couple of tough pitches from Teheran. Stroman who earlier in the season hit a pinch-hit double off the bench for his first major league hit can now add his first major league home run to his resume.
Stroman now becomes the second pitcher in Blue Jays history to go yard joining Mark Hendrickson who accomplished the feat on June 21st, 2003.
https://mediadownloads.mlb.com/mlbam/mp4/2017/05/19/1402732083/1495159166182/asset_1800K.mp4According to the data, I could muster on battery mates going yard in succession the feat has not been accomplished since 2006 when Braves teammates Brian McCann and pitcher Jorge Sosa went back-to-back.
Back-To-Back Homers by a Battery
The homers helped propel the Jays to victory and avoided being swept again by the lowly Braves in a series that seen it all. Manager John Gibbons may want to keep Stroman close to him in the dugout because it appears the hurler could be a weapon off the bench with the lumber.
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The Blue Jays will now travel to Baltimore to begin a series with their division rivals and who knows what that series will bring but it is a safe bet it will not top this past one.