Carson Kelly makes history with cycle as Cubs crush A’s 18-3
Carson Kelly did something Monday night that no Cubs player has done in over 30 years – he hit for the cycle during Chicago’s 18-3 demolition of the Athletics in Sacramento.
The Cubs catcher collected a single, double, triple and home run in the same game, becoming the 348th player in MLB history to accomplish the rare feat.
Kelly is the first Cub to hit for the cycle since Mark Grace way back in 1993. He’s also just the 18th catcher ever to do it in the majors, following Phillies star J.T. Realmuto who did it last June.
His historic night started with a walk in the second inning before he launched a homer in the fourth.
Kelly then singled in the fifth and doubled in the sixth, also drawing another walk that same inning.
That left him needing just a triple – by far the hardest part of the cycle – in his final at-bat in the eighth inning.
The odds seemed stacked against him. Kelly, 30, had hit only two triples in his entire 558-game career before Monday.
But baseball has a funny way of creating perfect moments.
Kelly crushed a ball 395 feet that would’ve been a home run in several MLB parks. Instead, it hit just right against the wall, allowing him to race to third base and complete the cycle.
He finished the night a perfect 4-for-4 with two walks, five RBIs and three runs scored while batting ninth in the lineup.
What makes this even more special? Kelly’s cycle happened in the first-ever MLB game played at Sacramento’s Sutter Health Park, where the A’s are temporarily playing while pursuing their controversial move to Las Vegas.
Kelly joined the Cubs this past winter on a two-year, $11.5 million deal after splitting last season between the Rangers and Tigers.
Talk about making a good first impression with your new team.
