Yunel Escobar

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**Yunel Escobar**
Escobar, with the Braves in June 2007
Atlanta Braves — No. 19
Shortstop
Born: November 2, 1982 (1982-11-02) (age 25) Havana, Cuba
Bats: Right	Throws: Right
Major League Baseball debut
June 2, 2007 for the Atlanta Braves
Selected MLB statistics (through June 10, 2008)
Batting average	.314
Home runs	11
Runs batted in	56
Teams
Atlanta Braves (2007-present)

Yunel Escobar (born November 2, 1982 in Havana, Cuba) is an infielder in Major League Baseball who plays for the Atlanta Braves.

Escobar made his major league debut on June 2, 2007 against the Chicago Cubs at third base. He got a single in his first Major League at-bat, and finished the game 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI, and a run. His double in the top of the 8th inning gave the Braves the lead in their 5-3 win.^[1]

Escobar's first Major League home run came on June 4 against Florida Marlins pitcher Wes Obermueller. In the fourth inning of a 2-2 game - his first at Turner Field - Escobar took a high fastball from Obermueller the "opposite way", hitting it over the wall in right field. He finished the day 4-for-4 with two singles and a double in addition to his home run.^[2]

On July 27, in a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Escobar exhibited an uncanny sense of alertness (and riskiness) as the Braves were down 7-6 in the bottom of the ninth inning. With two outs, Escobar drew a walk from Arizona closer Jose Valverde. Seeing Valverde bending down with his back turned toward second base with no position player near the bag, Escobar sprinted immediately for second base. By the time Valverde realized what Escobar was attempting to do, it was too late to throw him out. He scored from second on the next play as Willie Harris hit a two-out single, tying the game at 7-7 and completing a seven-run comeback for Atlanta. The Braves, however, went on to lose in extra innings.^[3]

On August 5, Escobar recorded his first career walk-off hit against the Colorado Rockies in the 10th inning when he singled in Jeff Francoeur to give the Braves a 6-5 win.^[4] On August 29, Escobar belted his first leadoff homer in a 7-4 win over the Marlins. Escobar finished his very successful rookie season a very respectable .326 batting average.

Escobar (1 point) came in a tie for sixth, as Ryan Braun (128 points) won the vote for the 2007 NL Sporting News Rookie of the Year Award by 488 major league players and 30 managers.[1][2]

Due in part to Escobar's emergence, the Braves traded starting shortstop Edgar Rentería to the Detroit Tigers following the 2007 season.

On June 2nd, 2008, exactly one year after his Major League debut, Escobar recorded his first career walk-off home run in a 7-5 victory over the Florida Marlins.