Major League Baseball

Blue Jays C Arencibia homers on first career pitch

Published Aug. 7, 2010 7:19 p.m. ET

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Blue Jays rookie catcher J.P. Arencibia hit a two-run homer on the first pitch of his major league career Saturday, hitting a two-run shot to left off Tampa Bay right-hander James Shields.

A first-round pick in the 2007 draft, Arencibia was called up from Triple-A Las Vegas Wednesday after John Buck injured his right thumb. Arencibia hit .303 with 31 homers and 79 RBIs in 95 games at Triple-A.

Edwin Encarnacion led off the second inning with a double and Arencibia followed with a drive that bounced off the back wall of the Blue Jays' bullpen. He exchanged high fives with teammates and manager Cito Gaston, and a hug with left-hander Ricky Romero when he got back to the dugout.

The last Blue Jays player to homer in his first major league at-bat was Junior Felix, who did it May 4, 1989, against the California Angels.

Earlier this season, Boston outfielder Daniel Nava hit a grand slam on the first pitch of his major league career.

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