Wil Myers did something on Monday night that only one member of the san diego padres had done before him. Hitting for the Cycle is one of the hardest single game feats in baseball. It requires displays of power, speed, and consistency, all on the same day. The outfielder's feat also came during a victory for the team, continuing a strong start that nobody in baseball circles would have seen coming for the projected worst team in the sport.
Hitting for the cycle
In the first inning, Myers came up to the plate and recorded a single - not impressive in of itself, but it was still a hit.
In the top of the third inning, Colorado Rockies starter Tyler Chatwood was still on the mound, and the Padres star laced a line drive to left field for a double, bringing in the first run of the game. Chatwood was once again the victim in the top of the sixth inning as Myers launched one beyond the right center field wall, putting his team up 2-0 and moving just a triple away from the cycle.
In the eighth inning, he went up against Carlos Estevez, needing a triple to complete the cycle. He sent the ball into left center and started rounding the bases, hustling like he's probably never run before, knowing in his head what was at stake. Myers lumbered into third base and into Padres history as just the second player to achieve the feat in franchise history.
Only Matt Kemp had previously done it, also in a road game at the Colorado Rockies, back on August 14, 2015.
Comes in a Padres victory
Obviously, Myers' cycle played a key part in the Padres victory on Monday night. Besides his four hits, he also drove in two runs. Hunter Renfroe added a home run in the 5-3 victory, which became a bit more dramatic than expected when Rockies first baseman Matt Reynolds hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Still, Brandon Maurer managed to finish the job he was brought in to do.
The Padres are now 4-4 to start the season, which isn't spectacular, but certainly much better than the horrific expectations they began the season under. The Rockies dropped to 5-3 and now sit a game behind the Arizona Diamondbacks for first place in the National League West division.
The teams will square off again on Tuesday night with San Diego pitcher Jered Weaver opposing Antonio Senzatela; no word on what Myers has in store for an encore, but it will certainly be challenging for him to match just the second cycle in his franchise's history.
