Yelich hits for cycle in loss

CINCINNATI (AP) — Christian Yelich bolted out of the box, sprinting around the bases and cruising into third standing up for his first triple of the season. A very well-timed triple, too.

The Milwaukee Brewers star hit for a record-tying third cycle — amazingly, all of them against Cincinnati. Yelich accomplished the feat Wednesday in a 14-11 loss to the Reds.

“I’d definitely rather win the game,” Yelich said. “Weird things happen in baseball. Any time you can hit for a cycle, it’s pretty cool. I will try to enjoy it as much as possible."

Yelich tripled during a six-run ninth inning rally.

His teammates were well aware of the significance, and they stood on the top row of the dugout to applaud him.

Yelich became the sixth player in major league history to hit at least one home run, triple, double and single in the same game three times. He joined Trea Turner, Adrián Beltré, Babe Herman, Bob Meusel and John Reilly in accomplishing the feat.

Earlier, Yelich doubled in the first, hit a three-run homer in the third and singled in the fifth.

Late in the 2018 season, Yelich hit for the cycle twice in a span of three weeks against the Reds.

“A lot of things kind of have to happen to hit the cycle,” the former National League MVP said. “It is hard enough to get four hits in a major league game and to have the right kind, there’s an element of luck. It is still pretty cool.”

Tyler Stephenson drove in four runs with a pair of doubles and Colin Moran hit a three-run homer for Cincinnati. The Reds, with the worst record in the majors, won their second straight series by topping the NL Central leaders.

“All these teams in the league are good -- you have to keep playing, you have to keep going,” Reds manager David Bell said.

“Great day offensively. Not only the hits and the RBIs, but just grinding out at-bats, controlling the strike zone, getting guys in base. That created the opportunities.”