On Thursday night, Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve made history by becoming the first player in franchise history to complete a cycle. He hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to complete the feat and help the Astros defeat the Boston Red Sox 13-5.
Altuve, who is a five-time All-Star and three-time American League batting champion, became the first Astros player to hit for the cycle since Jeff Bagwell did it in 1994. He is also the first player in Major League Baseball to complete a cycle since Mookie Betts did it in 2016.
The cycle was Altuve’s first of his career and it was a memorable one. He started off the night with a single in the first inning, then followed that up with a double in the third inning. In the sixth inning, he hit a triple and then capped off his night with a two-run home run in the eighth inning.
Altuve’s performance helped the Astros to an impressive 13-5 victory over the Red Sox. The Astros offense was on fire all night, as they scored in every inning except for the fourth. Altuve’s cycle was the highlight of the night, but he was not alone in leading the Astros to victory. George Springer had four hits, including two home runs, and Alex Bregman had three hits and three RBIs.
The Astros have been on a roll lately, and Altuve’s cycle was just another example of their dominance. They have now won eight of their last nine games and are currently in first place in the American League West. With Altuve leading the way, it looks like the Astros could be on their way to another successful season.
