Altuve First Astro to Hit for Cycle in 10 Years – Jose Altuve hit a two-run jack over the Green Monster in the eighth inning of Monday night’s 13-5 drubbing against the Boston Red Sox to become just the ninth Houston Astros player to hit for the cycle.
Altuve is the first Houston player to do it since Brandon Barnes against the Seattle Mariners on July 19, 2013. Hitting second for the Astros that day was a much younger Altuve, then 23.
Now 33 years old, a former MVP and a three-time batting champion, Altuve on Monday struck out swinging to lead off the game, then followed it up with a two-bagger in the third inning, a single in the fifth and a triple in the sixth.
He admitted that walking up to the plate in the eighth, he was well aware of his personal scoreboard.
“It’s kind of like in your mind, but you don’t want to change your whole approach,” he said. “I was just thinking about getting a pitch and trying to drive it.”
Astros manager Dusty Baker said it is as well as he has seen Altuve swing the bat since he returned in May from a 43-game absence due to a broken thumb.
Altuve went 4-for-6 with four RBIs, his third four-hit game of the season and 37th of his career. It was just the third time in nine games that he had multiple hits.
And…
Braves’ Acuna Confronted by Two Fans During Victory – Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. and NL MVP favorite, was confronted by two spectators in right field during Monday’s game at Coors Field, an encounter that left the star player knocked to the ground.
In the seventh inning against the Colorado Rockies, an individual ran onto the field to take a selfie with Acuna, putting his arm around the player before security personnel ran over to assess the situation immediately.
While security worked to pry the individual off Acuna, another individual ran onto the field and rushed toward Acuna, appearing to make contact with him and knocking him to the ground.
Acuna sat on the grass as security dealt with the individuals. He got up on his own power. The Braves had just put up a crooked number on the score board, four runs to take a 9-4 commanding lead before the incident happened.
Acuna did not appear to be physically harmed because of the incident, smiling afterward, and flashing a thumbs-up sign.
“I was a little scared at first,” Acuna said through an interpreter. “I think the fans were out there and asking for pictures. I really couldn’t say anything because at that point, security was already there and we were already kind of tangled up, but security was able to get there and everything’s OK. We’re all OK, and I hope they’re OK.”
Atlanta manager Brian Snitker was frustrated and disappointed with the fans’ actions.
“You don’t want to see that happen, I know that,” he said. “You don’t know what they will do when they get out there. It’s a scary situation.”
Colorado manager Bud Black agreed. “That’s disappointing, for me, that it happens, especially in our ballpark, in our town,” he said. “That bothers me. It bothers me in general when I see it elsewhere, in all sports.”
When asked further about the incident in his postgame news conference, Snitker said he did not see it in real time because he was in the bathroom. When pressed if he had seen something like that before, he added, “Yeah, a bunch.”
Kevin Pillar started in left field for the Braves on Monday and was right near the incident and saw it firsthand when it occurred.
“I don’t think they had any ill intentions. I think that was pretty evident early on,” Pillar said of the two fans. “We have these rules and regulations, we’re supposed to feel safe on the field. And thankfully, they weren’t there to do any harm.”
Acuna is one of the favorites for the National League MVP award this season. He entered Monday batting .330 with 28 home runs and 74 RBIs and had a standout game in the win.
Out of Atlanta’s leadoff spot, he hit his 29th home run of the season and finished 4-for-5 with five RBIs and a walk in his club’s 14-4 victory.
“Special player. He is a gifted young man, baseball player,” Snitker said. “Anything he is going to do in this game is not going to surprise me. I just think he is that talented.”
