McAdam: Brock Holt makes baseball history with cycle

NEW YORK -- Baseball players are generally loathe to acknowledge trying to hit a home run -- for good reason.

First, it's considered bad form. Secondly, it's not easy to accomplish.

But Brock Holt made no secret about his intentions in the ninth inning. Holt had already singled and tripled -- in the same inning, no less -- and doubled in the eighth.

He needed a homer to achieve the cycle. And thanks to the Red Sox' gaping, double-digit lead in the ninth, the Yankees have waved the white flag by having catcher Austin Romine pitch the ninth.

In defiance of baseball custom, Holt actively campaigned for the opportunity.

"Usually when stuff like that's going on,'' said Andrew Benintendi, "you don't really talk about it. Everybody knows, but they don't talk about it. Brock is going around, 'Get me up.'  He wasn't shy about it.''

"I saw Romine was on the mound,'' recounted Holt, "so you get a little antsy when a position player is on the mound. I told everyone, 'Get me up — I need a home run for the cycle.' I was going to try to hit a home run, but I figured I'd be out in front of something and ground out to first.''

But on this night, Holt could do no wrong. He moved up in the box a bit and got a 79 mph slider from Romine and hooked it down the line, taking aim at the short right-field porch at Yankee Stadium. The ball cleared the wall, and Holt had, in order: his homer, his cycle, and a place in the record books.

https://twitter.com/MLB/status/1049499593421942785

Turns out, no one had ever before hit for the cycle in the postseason game.

"Obviously, you don't expect to hit a home run,'' said Holt after the Red Sox 16-1 rout of the Yankees. "But I was trying to. I was trying to hit a home run. That's probably the first time I've ever tried to do that. I rounded the bases and seeing everyone going nuts in the dugout was a pretty cool moment for me.''

It was particularly unexpected since Holt couldn't get himself into the starting lineup for the first two games of the ALDS. But with Ian Kinsler struggling offensively, Holt was notified Sunday night that he would be in the lineup Monday night -- despite an inglorious track record (1-for-15) against New York starter Luis Severino.

"I sent (manager Alex Cora) a text and said, 'Are you sure?'" revealed Holt.

The night was a career high for Holt, who battled concussion issues for each of the past two seasons. Last season, fighting through the after-effects, Holt lost his ability to drive the ball, with just six extra-base hits -- all doubles -- in 140 at-bats.

Earlier this spring, Holt was quizzed by reporters after a game in Port Charlotte, Fla. who wanted to know if he felt he was in danger of making the team. Holt was sufficient worried enough to seek out a meeting with Cora the next day to inquire about his job security.

Holt enjoyed a nice bounce-back season in 2018 and seemed to save his best for last in September, finishing with four homers in his final 14 games. That was enough to gain the confidence of Cora and with Kinsler scuffling, he called on Holt to start Game 3.

"He's been swinging the bat well for a while now,'' said Cora. "We felt the matchup was good for him tonight although he was 0-for-whatever coming into the game against Severino. He's been able to catch up with fastballs headed the other way, breaking balls, and pull them with power.

"He's a good player.''

He's also a popular teammate, thanks to his habit of handing out celebratory hugs in the dugout and for his ability to contribute whenever -- and wherever -- he's asked.

"I think,'' said Benintendi, "if you ask anybody on our team, Brock does a lot, a lot more than people see. He's a great teammate and he'll do anything for you. So, I think everybody in our clubhouse is glad that he's on our side."

"It's a night that I'll remember for a long, long time,'' said Holt.

With some help from the record book.