Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Bi-cycles: Bauers joins Ohtani
Indians designated hitter Jake Bauers hit for the cycle Friday night in a 13-4 victory over the Tigers in Detroit.
Bauers doubled in the second inning, then singled and tripled during the Indians’ eight-run fourth. He added a two-run homer in the eighth that went an estimated 406 feet to right field.
The 23-year-old Bauers became the first Cleveland player to hit for the cycle since Rajai Davis on July 2, 2016, at Toronto. He entered Friday’s game hitting just .209.
Bauers’ feat gave him baseball’s second cycle in two days, following Angels DH Shohei Ohtani’s Thursday. Ohtani became the first Japanese-born player to hit for the cycle, helping the Angels beat the Rays 5-3.
“You need some power to hit the home run, some speed to accomplish a triple,” Ohtani said through an interpreter.
“To be able to do that at the major league level is going to lead to a lot of confidence. The important thing now is to try to continue this tomorrow.”
Ohtani hit a three-run homer in the first inning and completed the feat with a single on a 3-2 pitch in the seventh.
“I wasn’t necessarily trying to hit a single,” he said. “I was just trying to get on base, whether it was a base on balls or any other way because it was still a close game.”
After a triple in his third at-bat, Ohtani’s cycle quest became the focus of the game.
“People were talking about it. It’s not like a no-hitter when no one mentions it,” said Angels manager Brad Ausmus.