Houston Astros' Springer misses the cycle, somehow accomplishes even rarer feat
Houston Astros outfielder George Springer did not hit for the cycle Monday night in a game against the Oakland Athletics — and that’s the only bad thing you can say about his performance.
Springer went a ridiculous 6-for-6 in a 16-2 rout of the A’s, with a home run, a double and four singles. Though he was unable to record a triple, he still made history, becoming just the second player in franchise history to go 6-for 6, and the first since Hall of Famer Joe Morgan did it in 1965.
However, Springer’s feat was even more impressive than Morgan’s, as Morgan needed 12 innings to get his six hits, while Springer was able to do it in nine.
And though he didn’t hit for the cycle, Springer accomplished an even rarer feat. According to ESPN Stats and Info, players have hit for the cycle 255 times in MLB history. There have only been 105 six-hit games, though, including Springer’s.
Springer started his night with a double down the left-field line in the top of the first inning. Then in the second inning came Springer’s loudest hit of the night — a three-run, 462-foot home run. He added infield singles in the fifth and seventh before grounding a ball up the middle in the ninth for his sixth and final hit.
Though he entered the game hitting .264, Springer’s batting average now stands at a solid .292. The 2017 World Series MVP also has eight home runs and 24 runs batted in.
“I don’t even really know how to explain it,” he said after the game, according to MLB.com. “I’m happy to get six hits in a week, let alone six hits in a game. I’m pretty speechless to be honest with you.”
Springer was able to secure the baseball from his sixth hit, and he indicated that he’ll save it as a keepsake.
“I’ll save it,” Springer said. “I don’t think I’ll ever sniff (six hits) again. For me to get six, that means that the guys behind me were productive as well. It was a good night for the team.”
The outfielder’s amazing performance left his team in awe of what he had done.
“It was a remarkable night,” said Astros manager A.J. Hinch. “You don’t see that many at-bats and then on top of that, that many hits, in a lot of different ways, different parts of the ballpark. He’s obviously seeing the ball really well.”
Second baseman Jose Altuve, a three-time batting champion who was named last season’s American League MVP, has done a lot of impressive things in his own career. But even he thought what Springer accomplished was “crazy.”
“Six hits, that’s so crazy,” Altuve said. “How do you get six hits? That was impressive.”
The Astros will once again take on the A’s on Tuesday night. It should be fascinating to see how Springer follows up his historic performance.
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