The New York Mets earned yet another victory against a tough National League foe: the San Diego Padres. The final score; 11-5, wasn’t really the story of the evening: that honor belongs to infielder Eduardo Escobar, who became the first Mets player since Scott Hairston in 2012 to hit for the cycle.
Escobar hit a single in the first inning and a double in the fourth. When he homered in the eighth, it wasn’t clear if he would get the plate appearance he needed to have a chance at history. But he got it, and made the best of it.
In the ninth frame, Escobar belted a screaming liner to right field that bounced off the wall, away from the fielder. He raced to third base and reached it safely, and the Mets dugout celebrated and cheered. It was a truly special moment.
“It’s unbelievable,” Escobar, who finished 4-for-5 with six RBIs in the win, told Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. “It’s hard, hitting the cycle at this level. Today is a special night for me.”
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The Mets’ clubhouse cheered for Escobar
Escobar, who is loved and respected in the Mets clubhouse, is known for his efforts to embrace and promote team bonding. Everybody was happy for him.
“It was really fun to watch what he did today,” starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco said. “To run for the triple, the homer, all that kind of stuff, I’m going to appreciate that.”
“For any guy, it’s fun to watch, but especially him,” Mets manager Buck Showalter said. “You know how much he means to his teammates. It’s almost like they hit it.”
In the first two-plus months of the 2022 campaign, the Mets have pitched a no-hitter and hit for the cycle. Not too bad, considering they are comfortably atop the NL East standings without their top two pitchers; Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom.
“It’s a great moment,” Escobar said. “It’s unbelievable. I’m so happy. But I’m more happy because we won. If you make a cycle but you lose, it’s not the same energy. But when you win, everything is looking good.”