He stepped into the box as the third batter of the game against the Toronto Blue Jays. Akinori Iwamura and Jorge Velendia had both just struck out against A.J. Burnett who was trying to cap off a successful season with a victory. Carlos Pena stood in the box and took a called first strike, then watched as a Burnett delivered another pitch, this time, a ball.
The count was now 1-1. Burnett turned and fired a 97 mph fastball that went right down the middle of the plate. Pena swung and lifted a towering drive that sent John-Ford Griffin back against the wall, when he ran out of the room and the ball sailed over the fence for Pena's 46th home run of the year.