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BROCK HOLT |
"THE FUTURE AIN'T WHAT IT USED TO BE"
Brock Holt stops the Sox
skid
by hitting for the cycle
June 16, 2015 ... For the
first time since June 7, the Red Sox enjoyed the simple pleasure of
postgame handshakes. They also witnessed a memorable performance by
Brock Holt, who paced the 9-4
victory over the Braves with the
first cycle by a Boston batter since
John Valentin on June 6, 1996.
The
monster performance by Holt helped the Red Sox snap a seven-game losing streak.
After doubling in the first, hitting a single in the fifth and clubbing a homer
to the opposite field in left in the seventh.
Brock Holt knew there was a cycle out there. He didn’t realize it was his. The
Red Sox dugout was on a Mookie Betts watch. He was a home run shy of the cycle,
and his teammates made sure to put a bug in his ear. Meanwhile, Holt’s day was
flying under the radar when he came to the plate in the eighth inning. The last
puzzle piece Holt needed to complete the cycle was also the trickiest: a triple.
But when Braves reliever Sugar Ray Marimon left an 0-and-1 fastball over the
plate, Holt sent a fly screaming toward the garage door in center field that had
trouble written all over it.
Alex Rios was the last player to finish the
cycle with a triple, doing so for the Rangers against the Astros on Sept. 23,
2013. The last Red Sox player to complete the cycle with a triple was Fred Lynn
on May 13, 1980. horses and it worked out."
Lefty
Wade Miley, who engaged in a public spat with
manager John Farrell in his last start, bounced back nicely by firing 6 1/3
strong innings for the win. He allowed two runs on five hits over 6 1/3 innings
in a
9-4 win over the Braves.
It marked Miley's fourth straight home win, which is the longest home winning
streak by a Red Sox pitcher since
Clay Buchholz won four straight at Fenway in
April 2013. Miley dictated the pace of play, taking very little time between
pitches and outs, which worked in his favor. He established his changeup in the
first few innings and was able to go back to it in the last few frames when
necessary.
The two
runs Miley surrendered came in the fourth inning. He allowed a leadoff walk to
Cameron Maybin and an RBI double to
Freddie Freeman, who later scored on a
groundout. After allowing back-to-back singles with one out in the seventh,
Miley was pulled in favor of
Junichi Tazawa, who recorded two quick outs on
just three pitches to escape the jam.
Braves
righty
Julio Teheran didn't fare nearly as well,
allowing six runs and a career-high 13 hits over 6 1/3 innings. Boston's
left-handed hitters finished 6-for-15 against him.
The cycle was one thing, but the triple drove in the last of a flurry of runs in
the Sox’ 9-4 win, snapping a seven-game losing streak and putting a trying
stretch behind them as they head on the road for another quick two-game set
against the Braves, this time in Atlanta.
Without
Dustin Pedroia and
Hanley Ramirez (stiff back), the Red Sox needed
others to step up, and they did. Every player in the starting nine recorded at
least one hit, including the four by Holt.
Mookie Betts went 3-for-5, including a double
and a triple.
Pablo Sandoval,
Xander Bogaerts, Napoli and
Alejandro De Aza all chipped in with two hits. |
