After another clutch home run, Eric Hosmer seems to really enjoy hitting at Petco Park
We learned two things from Team USA's 4-2 comeback win over Venezuela on Wednesday night. One: Yes, every game in the World Baseball Classic from here on out is going to be can't-look-away thrilling. Two: Eric Hosmer thrives at Petco Park.
Wednesday's game was Team USA's first in San Diego, and Hosmer took advantage, mashing an eighth-inning two-run home run to right-center field off of
The last time he played at Petco Park was in the 2016 All-Star Game when, yep, he hit another dramatic dinger, that time a game-tying shot in the second inning:
That one, in fact, helped earn him earn All-Star MVP honors.
Clearly, Hosmer enjoys playing at Petco. In 25 regular-season plate appearances at Petco Park in his career, Hosmer has two doubles, a homer, nine RBIs and a .409/.440/.636 slash line -- his second-highest slugging percentage in any ballpark, behind only Coors Field. Apparently Hosmer doesn't pay much attention to Petco's reputation as a pitcher-friendly park (though it's been less so in recent years) -- particularly when the stakes are raised, like the ASG and World Baseball Classic.
"But both settings were extremely exciting," Hosmer said after Wednesday's win. "Tonight was awesome because the All-Star Game was an individual accomplishment, but tonight was doing something for your team and for your country. So both were great, but tonight's feeling was probably a little bit above it."
Team USA plays Puerto Rico on Friday (10 p.m. ET live on MLB.TV and MLB Network) at Petco Park, so you might want to go ahead and put Hosmer down for at least one dramatic home run now.
