As we all (not-so) patiently wait for “Baseball 2020,” we have time to reflect on things from our “hardball past.” With that in mind, Baseball Roundtable would like to celebrate (and revisit) the 20th Anniversary of MLB’s fastest-ever cycle (single, double, triple, home run in the same game).
Over the years, the cycle has been a rare, but no exceedingly rare, occurrence. It’s been accomplished a total of 330 times by a total of 292 players. Twenty-seven players have hit for multiple cycles, four for a record three-career cycles. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Before looking at a few cycle statistics, let’s get to that trivia question.
Shelter-At-Home Trivia Question.
Who hit for the fastest cycle ever, notching a single, double, triple and home run in the first four innings of an MLB game? Hint: Today is the 20th anniversary of this achievement.
Trivia Answer: Mike Lansing.
On June 18, 2000, Colorado Rockies’ second baseman Mike Lansing completed the cycle in just four innings – making it the quickest cycle in MLB history. Notably, Lansing was consistently behind in the counts and three of his four hits came with two strikes.
Lansing, batting second in the order, hit:
- An RBI triple to right in the first inning, on a 1-2 pitch;
- A two-run home run (0-1 pitch) in the bottom of the second;
- A two-run double (2-2 pitch) in the bottom of the third (as the Rockies scored nine times to take a 14-1 lead); and
- A single (another 1-2 offering) to right in the fourth.
Lansing then struck out in the sixth, before being lifted for a pinch-hitter (Darren Bragg) in the eighth. Lansing ended the day four-for-five, with three runs scored and five RBI, as the Rockies torched the Diamondbacks 19-2 in Denver. Lansing came into the game hitting .274, with ten doubles, three triples and nine home runs on the season.
Lansing had a nine-season MLB career (1993-2001 … Expos, Rockies, Red Sox), hitting .271, with 84 home runs, 440 RBI, 554 runs scored and 119 stolen bases. In addition to his fastest-ever cycle, Lansing shares the record for the most home runs in an inning (two). On May 7, 1997, he hit a two-run and three-run homer in a 13-run sixth inning, as the Expos topped the Giants 19-3 in San Francisco. That was his best season in the majors, as he hit .281 and recorded his career highs in home runs (20), RBI (70) and doubles (45).
Now how about a few more cycle (and near cycle) tidbits.
So Close … and Yet So Far
On June 27, 2003, Johnny Damon was playing CF and leading off for the Red Sox as they took on the Marlins in Boston. In a start that brought Boston fans up out of their seats, Damon was three-fourths of the way to the cycle before the first inning was over – and had tied an MLB record with three hits in an inning. (The Red Sox scored 14 runs in the first inning, on their way to a 25-3 win over the Marlins at Fenway.) Damon who collected a single, double and triple in the bottom of the first, ended the game five-for-seven, with three runs scored, three RBI, a double, a triple and three singles. He, unfortunately, did not get the cycle. In his final three at bats Damon: struck out; flied out to center; singled to right; singled past third base – ending the game five-for-seven, with three runs and three RBI.
Here’s how that first inning went:
Johnny Damon – Double past first base down the line. (Off starter Carl Pavano.)
Todd Walker – single, Damon scores.
Nomar Garciaparra – Double.
Manny Ramirez – Home run, scoring three.
David Ortiz – Double.
Kevin Millar – Single, Ortiz scores.
Michael Tejera replaces Pavano on the mound.
Trot Nixon – Single.
Bill Mueller – Walk, loading the bases.
Jason Varitek – Single, Millar and Nixon score.
Damon – Triple to deep right field, Mueller and Varitek score.
Walker – Single, Damon scores.
Allen Levrault takes over for Tejera – at this point, we’ve seen two pitchers, 11 batters, ten hits, one walk, nine runs and no outs.
Garciaparra – Foul pop out.
Ramirez – Single.
Ortiz – Walk, loading the bases.
Millar – Sacrifice fly, scoring Walker.
Nixon – Walk, loading the bases.
Mueller – Double, scoring Ramirez and Ortiz.
Varitek – Walk.
Damon – Line drive single to left, Nixon scores, Mueller is thrown out at the plate to end the inning.
Red Sox score 14 runs on 13 hits and four walks; Damon collects a single, double and triple.
Fastest Cycle Ever … From a Career Perspective
Minnesota Twins outfielder Gary Ward hit for the cycle in just his 14th MLB game (September 18, 1980, against the Brewers) – the earliest in an MLB career anyone has ever accomplished the feat.
The Cycle … From a Family Perspective
Only two father son combinations have hit for the cycle at the Major-league level – and both involved rookies.
Gary Ward (as noted above) hit for the cycle as a rookie (in just his 14th game) for the Twins on September 18, 1980. His son Daryle hit for the cycle for the Pirates (against the Cardinals) on May 26, 2004 (in his seventh MLB season).
Last season, Blues Jays’ rookie Cavan Biggio – in a September 17 game against the Orioles – hit for the cycle in just hie 89th MLB game. Cavan’s father, Hall of Famer Craig Biggio, hit for the cycle (for the Astros versus the Rockies) on April 8, 2002. Cavan Biggio is the first rookie since the Dodgers’ Cody Bellinger (in 2017) to hit for the cycle. For a look at the rookie “cyclers” who preceded Cavan Biggio, click here.
The Cycle … Sometimes it Skips a Generation
Pittsburgh Pirates’ outfielder Gus Bell hit for the cycle on June 4, 1951 – as the Pirates topped the Phillies 12-4 in Philadelphia. Fifty-three seasons later – on June 28, 2004 – Phillies’ 3B David Bell (Gus Bell’s grandson) hit for the cycle (also in Philadelphia), as the Phillies topped the Expos 14-6. Gus and David Bell are the only grandfather-grandson combination to achieve MLB cycles. The Bell’s were a three-generation MLB family. However, David Bell’s father (Gus Bell’s son) Buddy Bell did not achieve a cycle in his career. (Neither did David’s brother Mike, who played in 19 MLB games in the 2000 season).
Side note: This kind of stuff intrigues BBRT. The 2004 season saw the completion of the first father-son combination to hit for the cycle (Daryle Ward joining his father Gary Ward) and, just one month and two days later, the first grandfather-grandson cycle combination (David Bell joining his grandfather, Gus Bell).
The Cycle, Let’s do it Again … and Again
Only four MLB players have hit for the cycle three times in their careers: John Reilly (Red Stockings, twice in 1883 and Reds in 1890); Babe Herman (Brooklyn Robins, twice in 1931 and Cubs in 1933); Bob Meusel (Yankees in 1921, 1922 and 1928); Adrian Beltre (Mariners in 2008, Rangers in 2012 and 2015).
Two Cycles in One Season
Photo by IDSportsPhoto 
Only five players have collected two cycles in one season. Among those, Brewers’ outfielder Christian Yelich (photo) is the only one to hit for the cycle against the same team (the Reds) twice in the same campaign. In Yelich’s 2018 MVP season, he hit for the cycle on August 29, as the Brewers topped the Reds 13-12 in ten innings in Cincinnati. He doubled up on cycles on September 17, as the Brewers topped the Reds 8-0 in Milwaukee.
Cycles … A Big Stage Perspective
Brock Holt is the only player to record a cycle in the post season. He did it on October 8, 2018, as the Red Sox beat the Yankees 16-1 in Game Three of the American League Division Series. Holt grounded out in the top of the second inning; had a single and a triple in the Yankees seven-run fourth; grounded out in the sixth; hit a ground-rule double in the eighth; and managed to finish his cycle with a home run with two outs in the top of the ninth. It was Holt’s second career cycle. He had a regular-season cycle for the Red Sox on June 16, 2015, as Boston topped Atlanta 9-4 at Fenway. He also completed that cycle with two outs in Boston’s last offensive inning – hitting a triple with two down in the bottom of the eighth.
The only current MLB franchise to have never recorded a cycle is the Florida/Miami Marlins.
The Cycle … All in A Days (or two days) Work
The Expos’ Tim Foli is the only player to start a cycle one day and complete it the next. On April 21, 1976, Foli collected a single, double and triple in a contest against the Cubbies that was suspended in the top of the seventh due to darkness. When play resumed the following day, Foli added an eighth-inning home run. (The Expos prevailed 12-6.)
Primary Resources: Baseball-Reference.com; MLB.com; Baseball-Almanac.com.
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