PHOENIX (AP) — JJ Bleday knew he needed a home run to complete a cycle Saturday night. But he wasn't sure how to approach that at-bat.
“I just thought, keep doing what I’ve been doing the first three at-bats and I was able to put a good swing on it," the Cincinnati Reds left fielder said after hitting a line drive homer to right on the first pitch of the sixth inning in a 11-5 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Bleday doubled in the first inning,
tripled in the third and singled in the fourth as the Reds built an early lead and kept up the pressure. The first two hits were off Arizona starter Michael Soroka, the last two off reliever Zack Littell.
For Bleday, who struck out three times in Friday's 9-0 loss and entered the game hitting .217, it was much needed. The 28-year-old was the fourth overall pick in the 2019 draft, but it has taken awhile to gain traction.
“Things haven’t been going that well for me as of late, so I’m just trying to persevere," Bleday said. "This organization has really welcomed me and my family, and they’ve been giving me opportunities.”
“When you have a lead, you can enjoy it a little bit," Reds manager Terry Francona said. “That was special.”
It was the eighth cycle in franchise history dating to 1890. Bleday is the first Cincinnati player to hit for a cycle since Elly De La Cruz on June 23, 2023, against Atlanta.
“It's always cool seeing someone hit for the cycle,” said De La Cruz, who had four hits himself Saturday and lacked just the triple for what would have been the first twin cycle game in MLB history.
“I didn't know until he hit the homer, but that was pretty cool.”
Both players went 4 for 6, accounting for half the Reds' 16 hits.
There were three previous cycles in the majors this year — Pete Crow-Armstrong of the Cubs, the Phillies’ Bryce Harper and the most recent one, by Tristan Peters of the White Sox on July 10.
The home run was Bleday’s 21st of the season, topping his previous career high of 20 with the Athletics in 2024.
___
See AP’s full MLB coverage here
