Biggio becomes third Blue Jay to hit for the cycle
Cavan Biggio became the third Toronto Blue Jays player to hit for the cycle when he accomplished the feat on Tuesday night against the Baltimore Orioles. File Photo.
September 17, 2019
By Andrew Hendriks
Canadian Baseball Network
Henry Louis Aaron, a man who earned the name "Hammerin' Hank" thanks in part to knocking 755 home runs at the MLB level, never could understand why fans are so enamoured with the home run. To him, the most exciting play in baseball is the triple.
With two runners on and his team ahead by one in the ninth, it was Aaron's favourite sequence that stood between Cavan Biggio and the Blue Jays’ record books on Tuesday night in Baltimore.
Having already homered, singled and doubled earlier in the game, the rookie infielder ran the count full before turning on a 96 mpb Mychal Givens offering and lacing it over the head of Orioles centre fielder Mason Williams. Past second base by the time left fielder DJ Stewart picked the ball off the outfield turf, Biggio coasted into third with his fourth hit of the night.
Driving in a pair on the play, the 24-year-old product of Houston, Tex., joined Kelly Gruber (1988) and Jeff Frye (2001) as the only players to hit for the cycle in a Blue Jays uniform.
Tuesday's 4-for-5 appearance was the latest in what has been a strong September at the dish for Biggio. Through the months first 11 games, he's now batting .333 (13/39) with seven extra-base hits and 11 runs scored.
QUICK HITS
- With 2015 National Baseball Hall of Fame Inductee Craig Biggio accomplishing the same feat as a member of the Houston Astros in 2002, the pair became just the second father/son duo to record cycles at the MLB level. Gary Ward did so with the Minnesota Twins in 1980, and his son followed suit with a four-hit performance of his own in 2004 while playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
- Biggio's feat was the sixth cycle across Major League Baseball this season, and the first since the Orioles Jonathan Villar did so on August 5th against the New York Yankees. The record for the most cycles hit in a single MLB campaign is eight (2009).
- Of the now four cycles hit within the confines of Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Biggio's was the first by an opposing player. Ironically, Tuesday's performance was also the first time a Blue Jays player has hit for the cycle while playing in a ballpark outside of Toronto.
- Tuesday's game represented the 39th time rookie second baseman has reached base on multiple occasions in a single game this season. At .361 following the win, his on-base percentage currently ranks as the third-highest among all American League Rookies with at least 275 at-bats this season (Arraez - .419, Alvarez - .418).
BY THE NUMBERS
Here's the pitch sequence followed by how Statcast broke down on Biggio's historic swing:
#1 - Changeup (84.9 MPH, swinging strike)
#2 - Changeup (84.9 MPH, ball)
#3 - Changeup (84.9 MPH, foul)
#4 - Fastball (95.8 MPH, ball)
#5 - Fastball (95.7 MPH, foul)
#6 - Changeup (85.5 MPH, ball)
#7 - Fastball (96 MPH, foul)
#8 - Fastball (96.3 MPH, triple)
-Pitch Speed (96.3 MPH)
-Exit Velocity (98.7 MPH)
-Launch Angle (25 degrees)
-Expected Batting Average (.570)
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