In yesterday’s (June 22) Orioles/Nationals contest (at Camden Yards) – won by the Orioles 7-0 – Baltimore leadoff hitter and CF Austin Hays completed the fourth MLB cycle in 2022 and the third this month. And, he did it in a game shortened to six innings by weather (one hour and 46 minutes of rain delays).
Hays singled and scored leading off the first inning; homered leading off the third; tripled in the fourth; and hit a two-run double in the sixth and final inning. Hays saw a total of nine pitches in his four at bats, ending the rainy evening four-for-four, with three runs, three RBI and ten total bases. Not a bad night’s work. The cycle balanced out Hays’ previous night’s performance, when he went zero-for-four with four strikeouts as the Orioles lost to the Nationals 3-0. On the season, Hays is .287-10-40.
Fastest Cycle Ever
Now, for those who like to know such things, Hays’ six-inning cycle is not the fastest ever, The yellow Jersey for MLB cycles belongs to the Rockies’ Mike Lansing, who – on June 18, 2000 – completed a cycle in just four innings. Notably, Lansing was consistently behind in the counts and three of his four hits came with two strikes.
Lansing, hitting second in the order, hit an RBI triple to right in the first inning (getting the most difficult leg of the cycle out of the way ) on a 1-2 pitch; added a two-run home run (0-1 pitch) in the bottom of the second; hit 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 then completed the cycle with 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 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.
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).
It’s Been a Hard Day’s Night … Longest Cycle Ever
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 (pre-Wrigley lights) 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.)
Hot Damon … Nearly a Cycle … in the First Inning
One of my favorite stories to share focuses on the night Johnny Damon almost completed a cycle – in the first inning of a 25-8 Red Sox win over the Marlins. On June 27, 2003, 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 14-run Boston first inning was over. Damon’s performance also made him just one of five MLB players to collect three hits in an inning. If this kind of fact interests you, each of the four other players to achieve a three-hit frame did it in the seventh inning of their contests.
Damon ended his game five-for-seven, with three runs scored, three RBI, a double, a triple and three singles. He, unfortunately, did not get the cycle despite his fast start.
Primary Resources: Baseball-Reference.com; Baseball-Almanac.com.
BASEBALL ROUNDTABLE ON THE TOP 100 BASEBALL BLOG LIST
Baseball Roundtable is on the Feedspot list of the Top 1oo Baseball Blogs. To see the full list, click here.
I tweet baseball @DavidBBRT
Follow/Like Baseball Roundtable’s Facebook Page here. More baseball commentary; blog post notifications; PRIZES.
Member: Society for American Baseball Research (SABR); The Baseball Reliquary; The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.
