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ON THIS DATE (June 12, 2010) ...
Two innings into the
game, Daniel Nava, who a few short years ago was laundering jerseys
for the University of Santa Clara baseball team that had cut him,
took Philadelphia Phillies starter Joe Blanton to the cleaners with a
grand slam on the first major league pitch he saw.
Nava
had the opportunity to make this one of the greatest performances by a rookie in
major league history when he came to plate in the third inning with the bases
again loaded: Drew (single), Varitek (walk), and McDonald (infield hit). This
time, Nava struck out on a half-swing, but Marco Scutaro followed with a two-run
single and Dustin Pedroia added an RBI single.
Nava is just the second player to hit a grand slam
in his first at-bat with the Red Sox and the second in major league history to
hit a slam on his first pitch, joining Kevin Kouzmanoff, who did it for the
Indians in 2006.
The last Red Sox player to hit a home run in his first at
bat was Eddie Pellagrini on
April 22, 1946. Rip Repulski was the last player to hit a home run in
his first at bat with the Red Sox on April 10, 1960. |
