the associated press
MIAMI — To hit for the cycle — a single-game compendium of a single, double, triple and home run — a baseball player requires a diversity of skills. Enough brawn to go deep. Enough agility to sprint 270 feet safely into third. Enough consistency to collect four hits in one night. Players like that usually only exist in dreams.
The cycle is a rare feat, one that occurred only three times in 2016, only four times in 2017 before Saturday. Barry Bonds never did it. Neither did Hank Aaron, or Ken Griffey Jr., or Babe Ruth. The Dodgers have played 60 seasons since moving to Los Angeles. Across those six decades, only two players produced a cycle. When considering this, of course, it is worthwhile to remember that the Dodgers played 59 of those seasons without Cody Bellinger.
“Every time he steps on the field,” manager Dave Roberts said, “something special can happen.”
In a 7-1 victory by the Dodgers over the Miami Marlins, two days after his 22nd birthday, Bellinger added another line to his resume for rookie of the year, and perhaps more postseason hardware. He singled in his first at-bat. He smashed a two-run homer, his 26th of the year, in his second. He thumped an RBI double in his third at-bat.
And then, in his fourth at-bat, in the seventh inning of a blowout, Bellinger laced a slider from reliever Nick Wittgren into right field. Outfielder Giancarlo Stanton lunged for the baseball, but his 6-foot-6 frame was not tall enough to bring it down. It ticked off his glove and rolled behind him.
“It’s in the back of your mind,” Bellinger said. “But the fact that it actually went there? Yeah, it’s crazy.”
Bellinger accelerated when he saw he had a shot. He is considered the fastest player on the Dodgers, winners of eight in a row, and so he barreled around the bases. He slid into third, even though it wasn’t necessary, to join Wes Parker (1970) and Orlando Hudson (2009) in franchise lore. He grinned at third base coach Chris Woodward. Inside the dugout, Clayton Kershaw curled his fingers into a claw, making the signal to collect the baseball.
Bellinger can add the memento to an ever-growing collection. Most rookies celebrate their first hit, their first homer. Bellinger hit 21 home runs faster than any player in big league history. He was the youngest position player to ever represent the L.A. Dodgers in an All-Star game. He serves as part of the reason why Dodgers fans hope they can celebrate so much more this October.
Yankees 4, Red Sox 1 (16 innings)
BOSTON — Didi Gregorius lined a go-ahead single in the 16th inning, and the New York Yankees outlasted the Boston Red Sox Saturday in the longest game between the bitter rivals at Fenway Park since 1966.
Matt Holliday hit a tying home run off Craig Kimbrel in the ninth that cleared the Green Monster, and it took 5 hours, 50 minutes and 512 pitches to finish.
The relievers won’t get much rest. The Yankees and the AL East-leading Red Sox are set for a day-night doubleheader Sunday.
Boston starter Chris Sale struck out 13 in 7 2/3 scoreless innings of three-hit ball. Luis Severino gave up Mitch Moreland’s sacrifice fly in the third.
Gregorius and Austin Romine hit RBI singles off Doug Fister (0-3), and Gary Sanchez added a sacrifice fly. Ben Heller (1-0) went two innings.
Boston protested over the lack of an interference call on Holliday at first base in the 11th.
PADRES 5, GIANTS 3
SAN DIEGO — Madison Bumgarner allowed four hits over seven innings, including home runs by Matt Szczur and Jabari Blash, in his first start since being injured in a dirt bike accident. He left with the score tied at 3.
Bumgarner was making his first start since April 19 at Kansas City. The next day, he wiped out while riding a dirt bike on a day off in Denver, spraining the AC joint in his left shoulder and suffering bruised ribs.
Hector Sanchez hit a two-run homer in the ninth against Cory Gearrin (3-3), sending San Francisco to its six loss in eight games.
Brandon Maurer (1-4) pitched the ninth for the win.
CUBS 10, ORIOLES 3
BALTIMORE — Making his first appearance at Camden Yards since he was traded by Baltimore four years ago, Jake Arrieta (9-7) walked three in the first twi innings, then settled down to hold the Orioles to four hits over 6 2/3 innings.
Addison Russell homered for the second straight game, and Albert Almora and Anthony Rizzo also went deep for Chicago, which hit eight homers in winning the first two games of the series.
Wade Miley (4-8) gave up seven runs, nine hits and four walks in 4 2/3 innings.
NATIONALS 10, REDS 7
CINCINNATI — Anthony Rendon hit his second career grand slam and added a two-run homer, and Washington overcame Scooter Gennett’s four-RBI night.
Ryan Raburn homered to lead off the seventh, sparking a seven-run outburst capped by Rendon’s 18th homer as the Nationals took a 10-0 lead.
Max Scherzer (11-5) finished with 10 strikeouts in six innings, his 12th game of the season and 61st of his career with at least 10. He issued a season-high four walks while allowing three hits.
Cincinnati bounced back for two runs in the eighth and five in the ninth, three on Gennett’s 16th homer. Matt Grace got his second save in two nights.
METS 9, ROCKIES 3
NEW YORK — Jay Bruce and pitcher Seth Lugo homered during an early barrage that sent Colorado to its 15th loss in 20 games.
Jose Reyes also went deep and Lucas Duda had a two-run double as New York took full advantage of a calf injury that knocked Tyler Chatwood (6-11) from the game after one out, 19 pitches and three walks.
Lugo (4-2) worked into the seventh with a big lead, but Mets slugger Yoenis Cespedes left early after slamming his right knee into the ground while trying to make a sliding catch.
TIGERS 11, BLUE JAYS 1
DETROIT — J.D. Martinez had five RBIs with a two-run single and a three-run homer, and Michael Fulmer (10-6) won his fourth straight start, giving up one run and two hits in eight innings..
Francisco Liriano (5-5) allowed five runs, three hits and four walks in two-plus innings.
CARDINALS 4, PIRATES 0
PITTSBURGH — Lance Lynn (8-6) allowed eight hits in 6 1/3 innings and hit a run-scoring double. Lynn hasn’t allowed a run in his last 13 1/3 innings.
Jameson Taillon (5-3) lost for the first time in nearly a month, giving up four runs in five innings and matching his season high by allowing eight hits.
Pittsburgh left nine runners on base and went 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position.
BRAVES 8, DIAMONDBACKS 5
ATLANTA — Little-used Lane Adams drove in three runs with a go-ahead, pinch-hit, bases-loaded double in the sixth.
Adams was hitting only .214 in 28 at-bats before his double to the left-field wall off Randall Delgado (1-2) cleared the bases. The Diamondbacks have lost seven of eight and 10 of 13.
Ian Krol (2-2) recorded the final out in the sixth, and Jim Johnson pitched a perfect ninth for his 21st save.
MARINERS 4,
WHITE SOX 3
CHICAGO — Nelson Cruz and Kyle Seager homered, as Seattle overcame three errors to win their third straight.
Felix Hernandez (5-3) plunked Jose Abreu twice and threw a wild pitch. But Cruz’s two-run shot off Anthony Swarzak (4-3) — just the second homer allowed by the reliever this season — made it 4-3 Mariners in the sixth.
Steve Cishek, Tony Zych and Nick Vincent each pitched a scoreless inning before Edwin Diaz finished for his 15th save in 18 chances. The right-hander struck out Abreu with runners on first and second for the final out.
Melky Cabrera had four hits and two RBIs for last-place Chicago.
TWINS 4, ASTROS 2
HOUSTON — Brian Dozier homered and Eddie Rosario hit a tiebreaking two-run double off Tony Sipp in the sixth after Minnesota loaded the bases against Joe Musgrove (4-8). The Twins had lost three in a row overall and seven in a row against Houston.
Ervin Santana (11-6) allowed two runs and five hits in six inning, and Brandon Kintzler pitched a scoreless ninth for his 25th save.
BREWERS 3, PHILLIES 2
MILWAUKEE — Travis Shaw broke an eighth-inning tie against Joaquin Benoit (1-4) with his 20th homer, and Milwaukee (52-41) moved a season-high 11 games over .500.
Jacob Barnes (2-1) escaped an eight-inning jam thanks to a slick double play after he walked two batters.
Corey Knebel pitched the ninth for his 16th save. He struck out Tommy Joseph for his 45th consecutive appearance with a strikeout to start the season, a major league record.
RANGERS 1, ROYALS 0
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Shin-Soo Choo flared a lazy fly ball down the left-field line for a single with one out in the ninth, driving in the only run off Danny Duffy (5-6) as Texas won its 12th straight win over Kansas City dating to last July.
Duffy and Cole Hamels matched each other through seven innings, and Jose Leclerc (2-2) relieved Hamels with two out in the eighth.
Leclerc walked the leadoff man in the ninth, but Alex Claudio struck out Eric Hosmer and got Salvador Perez to ground into a double play to earn his third save.
ATHLETICS 5, INDIANS 3
OAKLAND, Calif. — Khris Davis hit his 25th homer, a two-run shot in the ninth off Bryan Shaw after Andrew Miller (3-3) walked Yonder Alonso.
Rookie third baseman Matt Chapman homered twice and scored three runs while Rajai Davis added an RBI single for the A’s..
Ryan Madson (2-4) retired three batters.
RAYS 6, ANGELS 3
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Alex Cobb (8-6) gave up one run, six hits and three walks in 7 2/3 innings. After surrendering a career-high nine earned runs on June 3 to fall to 4-5 with a 4.52 ERA, Cobb has gone 4-1 with a 2.16 ERA in his last seven starts.
Morrison hit a two-run homer in the third to give him 59 RBIs this season. Steven Souza added a solo home run.
JC Ramirez (8-8) allowed four runs and eight hits in six innings.