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Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez hits for cycle against Mariners

SEATTLE — Astros Designated Hitter Yordan Alvarez hit for the cycle Sunday against the Seattle Mariners, becoming the 10th player in Houston history to accomplish the feat.

Alvarez singled in the first inning, hit his 20th home run of the season against Mariners starter Bryan Woo in the fourth, added a run-scoring triple to center field against Taylor Saucedo in the sixth and completed the cycle with a double down the right-field line in the eighth against Gregory Santos.

Alvarez finished 4-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored in the Astros’ 6-4 loss to Seattle.

When asked if he had ever hit a cycle in his baseball life, Alvarez replied, “Not even on the Playstation.”

“I’m really excited,” Alvarez said. “I felt a little bit of pressure, but I knew I needed a double and when I hit the ball I said, ‘There it is.'”

The 27-year-old Alvarez was making his second run in T-Mobile Park history, following Miguel Tejada’s on Sept. 29, 2001.

The triple, the sixth of Alvarez’s career, came on a high ball that landed deep in center field. Julio Rodríguez jumped for the ball against the wall, but dropped the fly ball and sprained his right ankle on the play. The ball rolled toward the infield before left fielder Dylan Moore grabbed it as Alvarez raced to third base.

“It was a confusing play,” Alvarez said. “When I hit the ball, I thought he was going to carry a little bit more, and then I saw him jump to the wall and catch the ball, and then I saw him hit the wall and the ball fell and he fell. I just knew I had to keep running there.”

Before Sunday, the most recent cycle by an Astros member was on Aug. 28, 2023, by Jose Altuve against Boston.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb