Brewers ride historic bi-cycle to big victory
Yelich repeats rare feat against Reds
MILWAUKEE — Christian Yelich cycled his way into the record book.
Milwaukee’s streaking slugger became the first major leaguer to hit for the cycle twice in one season against the same team, driving in four runs to lead the Brewers over the Cincinnati Reds 8-0 on Monday.
“There’s been so many great players to play this game,” said Yelich, acquired in an offseason trade with Miami. “It just shows how freaky, I guess, that is. A lot of luck goes into that.”
Less than three weeks after his cycle in Cincinnati, Yelich accomplished the feat against the lastplace Reds once again to help the Brewers in their playoff pursuit. Milwaukee remained 2½ games behind the first-place Cubs in the National League Central and three games up in the wild-card race.
Yelich singled in the first inning, doubled in the second, launched a two-run homer in the fifth and capped the cycle with a two-run triple in the sixth. With the Brewers nursing a large lead, he was lifted for a pinch hitter in the eighth.
Yelich’s huge second half has turned him into a top contender for the NL MVP award. He also hit for the cycle when he went 6-for-6 in a 13-12 comeback victory on Aug. 29 at Cincinnati, making him the fifth player to turn the trick twice in one season — and first in Brewers history.
Yelich is batting .500 (24-for-48) with seven homers, 17 RBIS and 12 runs against the Reds this season.
“There’s no question that he’s hot right now,” said Reds starter Anthony Desclafani (7-6), who allowed four runs in five innings. “He’s doing some amazing things. I know him from Miami. I know that he works his butt off.
“They all projected that he was going to be a top-of-the-league hitter. But I think if I make my pitches, I give myself a chance to get him out.”
The previous player with two cycles in one season was Aaron Hill in 2012.
Wade Miley (5-2) labored through five innings and allowed five hits. He had two runners aboard in the second, third and fourth. Josh Hader struck out the side in the sixth, and Brandon Woodruff finished with three spotless innings for his first save.
The Brewers totaled three runs in losing their previous two games to Pittsburgh.
“We really need wins,” Yelich said. “Every win is huge for us. Obviously we didn’t finish that Pittsburgh series up like we would have hoped, and it’s best to come out tonight and get this series off to a good start.”