Wednesday night, rookie center fielder Carlos Gomez became the first Twin in 22 years to hit for the cycle. Gomez hit a home run to lead off the game, struck out in the third inning, slapped an RBI triple in the fifth, drove in another run with a double in the sixth, then singled - off the pitcher's glove - in the ninth. He later struck out to end the Twins' six-run ninth inning, and the Twins won the game 13-1. Nick Punto drove in five runs, and Livan Hernandez lost a shutout with one out in the ninth inning when Jermaine Dye went deep.
A few did-you-knows about cycles:
- The last Twin to hit for the cycle was Kirby Puckett, who accomplished the feat against Oakland on August 1, 1986 .
- Lyman Bostock (July 24, 1976) was the last Twin to complete his cycle with a single.
- Gomez is the first Twin to start his cycle with a home run.
- Bostock was also the last, and only, Twin to hit for the cycle against the White Sox.
- Bostock was the only Twin to go 4-4 to complete his cycle; he also walked and hit a sacrifice fly. No Twin - and only one player in the majors since 1957 - has ever hit for the cycle in just four plate appearances.
- Gary Ward (September 18, 1980) was the only Twin to accomplish the feat in a loss. He was also the last Twin to do it on the road.
- Rod Carew (May 20, 1970 ) was the first Twin to hit for the cycle.
- Cesar Tovar (September 19, 1972) completed his cycle with a walkoff, two-run home run in the bottom of the 9th.
- Larry Hisle (June 4, 1976 ) took until the 10th inning to complete his cycle, hitting a two-run homer in the top of the 10th, which turned out to be the game-winner.
- Mike Cubbage (July 27, 1978) was one of two Twins (Carew was the other) to do it from an infield position.
- Like Gomez's, three of the Twins's seven cycles have come from the leadoff spot in the batting order (Puckett, Ward, and Tovar.)
- Like Gomez, Puckett and Bostock were playing center field. Ward, Hisle, and Tovar were all playing left field.
- Like Gomez, Puckett, Bostock, Hisle, and Tovar completed their cycles in the Twins' final at-bat of the game.
- The last cycle in the majors was completed last June 29th, by Baltimore's Aubrey Huff.
- Three teams - Tampa Bay, Florida, and San Diego - have never had a player hit for the cycle.
- There have been 277 cycles in the major leagues, since 1882.
After the jump, the full list of Twins cycles, with dates and play-by-play.
CARLOS GOMEZ - May 7, 2008 - Away
Twins 13, Chicago 1
Hitting leadoff, playing CF
1st: Home Run (1 RBI)
3rd: Strikeout
5th: Triple
6th: Double
9th: Single
9th: Strikeout
KIRBY PUCKETT - August 1, 1986 - Home
Twins 10, Oakland 1
Hitting leadoff, playing CF
1st: Triple
3rd: F-8
5th: Ground-rule double
6th: Single
8th: Home run (2 RBI)
GARY WARD - September 18, 1980 - Away
Milwaukee 9, Twins 8
Hitting leadoff, playing LF
1st: Double
3rd: Single
5th: Home Run (1 RBI)
7th: Triple
8th: L-6
MIKE CUBBAGE - July 27, 1978 - Home
Twins 6, Toronto 3
Hitting 5th, playing 3B
2nd: Double, thrown out at third
4th: Home Run (2 RBI)
5th: Single
7th: Triple
LYMAN BOSTOCK - July 24, 1976 - Away
Twins 17, Chicago 2
Hitting 4th, playing CF
1st: Walk
2nd: Triple
4th: Home Run (1 RBI)
6th: F-7 (SF)
8th: Double
9th: Single
LARRY HISLE - June 4, 1976 - Away
Twins 8, Baltimore 6
Hitting 5th, Playing LF
2nd: 5-3
4th: Double
5th: Triple
8th: Single
10th: Home Run (2 RBI)
CESAR TOVAR - September 19, 1972 - Home
Twins 5, Texas 3
Hitting leadoff, playing LF
1st: Triple
3rd: 1-3
5th: Single
7th: Double
9th: Home Run (2RBI, Walkoff)
ROD CAREW - May 20, 1970 - Away
Twins 10, Kansas City 5
Hitting 2nd, playing 2B
1st: Single
3rd: Home Run (1 RBI)
5th: Double
6th: 4-3
8th: Triple