We’ve all heard about hitting for the cycle (single, double, triple and home run in one game), but how about pitching for the cycle? Not really a thing; but it could be. Especially, if you defined pitching for the cycle (giving up a single, double, triple and home run) not just in one game, not just in one inning, not just to four consecutive batters – but to the first four batter you ever faced in a major league game.
Enter Ervin Santana. On this date (May 17) in 2005, Santana made his major league debut – starting for the Angels against the Indians (in Cleveland). The 22-year-old righty had earned his call up with a 5-1. 2.31 record at Double A (Arkansas Travelers). The first batter he faced in the major leagues was Indians’ CF Grady Sizemore, who tripled to deep CF; next was LF Coco Crisp, who doubled down the RF line (scoring Sizemore, but was thrown out trying to stretch the two-bagger into a triple; then came DH Travis Hafner, who singled to CF; the next hitter was Ben Broussard, who launched a two-run home run to right. At this point, Santana has faced four batters in his major league career and had given up three runs. More important (at least to Baseball Roundtable), on his first ten MLB pitches, he had “pitched for the cycle” – surrendering a single, double, triple and home run. He did retire the next two batters on a pop fly and a strikeout, but the damage was done. Santana went four innings in the game, taking the loss and giving up eight hits, three walks and six runs, while fanning one. His next start went better. On May 23, he shutout the White Sox (in Chicago), going the full nine frames and giving up just five hits and one walk, while fanning seven. He ended that rookie season with a 12-8, 4.65 record.
HOME-RUN CYCLE
If you’d like to read about the only professional player to hit for the “home-run cycle” (solo, two-run, three-run and Grand Slam home run in one game), click here.
Santana, still active in 2019, has gone 149-127, 4.09 in 15 major-league seasons (Angels, Twins, Royals, Braves, White Sox). He has won 15+ games in four seasons and was an All Star in 2008 for the Angels (16-7, 3.49) and, in 2017, for the Twins (16-8, 3.28).
The Name Game
Ervin Santana’s given name is Johan Ramon Santana. MLB, however, already had a Johan Santana, so (in 2003) the Santana in this post decided to go by the name Ervin (by the time Ervin Santana reached the major leagues, Johan Santana #1 had a Cy Young Award on his resume).
Primary resource: Baseball-Reference.com.
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