George Springer came up short in three attempts at completing the cycle with a triple.
The Astros’ leadoff man settled for a spot in the team’s record book instead.
Springer on Monday went six for six with a home run to match a Houston mark as the Astros routed the Oakland Athletics 16-2.
Photo: EPA
“I don’t even know how to explain it,” Springer said. “I’m happy to get six hits in a week, let alone six hits in a game. I’m pretty speechless, to be honest.”
Last year’s World Series Most Valuable Player doubled and scored in the first inning, hit a three-run homer in the second and then singled and scored in the fourth.
Needing a triple for the cycle, he reached on infield singles in the fifth and seventh before adding a fourth single up the middle in the ninth.
He became the second player in club history to go six for six and the first to do it in a nine-inning game.
Hall of Famer Joe Morgan accomplished the feat in a 12-inning game against the Milwaukee Braves on July 8, 1965.
“It was a remarkable night,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. “You don’t see that many at-bats and then on top of that, that many hits, in a lot of different ways, different parts of the ballpark. He’s obviously seeing the ball really well.”
Three-time batting champion Jose Altuve was in awe.
“Six hits, that’s so crazy,” Altuve said. “How do you get six hits? That was impressive.”
Springer was given the ball from his sixth hit.
“I’ll save it,” he said. “I don’t think I’ll ever sniff [six hits] again. For me to get six, that means that the guys behind me were productive as well. It was a good night for the team.”
Marwin Gonzalez also went deep and matched his career high of five RBIs. Derek Fisher hit his third home run and Max Stassi doubled twice and scored two runs for the Astros.
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