WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Carson Kelly had come close to hitting for the cycle, yet that elusive triple kept holding him back. He had just two triples over a 10-year big league career before Monday night.
That’s when Kelly became the first Chicago Cubs player in 32 years to hit for the cycle. He tripled in the eighth inning of — ending the longest drought without a cycle by any team in the National League.
Kelly even walked twice in the first major league game at Sutter Health Park, the minor league ballpark serving as the new home for the A’s this season.
“I’ve been in this same position before where I needed a triple for the cycle. If anybody’s ever looked up my numbers, I have two triples, so odds are not in my favor, right?” the 30-year-old Kelly said. “I didn’t get it done the first time. This time I’m like, oh, I’m just going to put a good at-bat together. Hit it, like, ‘Oh yeah, pretty good.’ Then I hit first and saw it ricochet and I was like, ‘Oh boy, this is it right here, I gotta go.’ That’s probably the fastest you’ll ever see me run.”
Kelly homered in the fourth inning, had a two-run single in the fifth, doubled and walked in the sixth, and tripled in the eighth. The previous Cubs player to hit for the cycle was Mark Grace on May 9, 1993, against San Diego — before Kelly was even born in 1994. The team had 342 near-cycles since Grace’s feat, meaning the particular player was one required hit short.
No catcher for the Cubs had accomplished the feat since Randy Hundley on Aug. 11, 1966, versus Houston.
Kelly also became just the third major leaguer to hit for the cycle and walk twice in the same game. Joe Gordon did it for the Yankees in 1940, and Mickey Cochrane in 1937 for the Philadelphia A’s.
The Royals hold the longest stretch without a cycle in the majors. George Brett was the last player to do it for Kansas City on July 25, 1990, against Toronto.
Kelly’s run-scoring triple made it 17-3. And he was thrilled to make that his third career triple.
“The two times I had triples both guys fell down, like ran into the wall and fell down,” he said. “The odds are not in your favor on that.”
But this time, the ball went off the wall in right-center and Kelly ran like mad.
“I didn’t realize he had a chance at a cycle, but when that ball kicked off the wall the dugout started going crazy so I figured something was going on,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “They’re fun days, they’re rare days and they’re once-in-a-lifetime-type days for players.”
Before Monday’s game, Kelly even pulled out a new bat — “one and done,” he joked afterward.
He couldn’t believe it had been since Grace that the Cubs had someone hit for the cycle.
“I know Mark Grace, too, in Arizona. I’ll have to hit him up,” Kelly said. “Pretty special. Great accomplishment. Something I never thought I would get. I’m just very fortunate and blessed. A lot of hard work, a lot of great teammates pumping me up. So all in all just a very special night.”
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