Matt Kemp Delivers Padres First Cycle in Franchise History

The Colorado Rockies and the San Diego Padres face off on Saturday at Coors Field as they continue their MLB series of National League West teams.

Kemp also had a two-run homer in the first, single in the third and an RBI double in the seventh.

In the Padres’ 9-5 win over the Colorado Rockies, Kemp bashed a triple to deep right-center field in the top of the ninth inning to cap off his monumental night. One streak down, one to go.

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When Will Venable (double) and Wil Myers (triple) finished a double shy of the cycle in the same game in May in Arizona, the elder Venable laughed off post-game questioning that he knew was on the way for the 359th and 360th near-misses. In addition, 258 times a player was a triple short. It was Kemp’s first career cycle.

“It’s hard to believe, all those great hitters that have been here, like Tony Gwynn and all those guys, haven’t been able to get a hit for a cycle”, Kemp told the Union-Tribune.

Kemp, now batting. 262 with 13 home runs and 67 RBIs, finished the night 4-for-5 with four RBIs and two runs scored.

“Just a miscommunication, man”, Kemp explained.

Thanks, Carlos Gonzalez, who recently gave Barnes some hitting advice. He was in an 0-for-21 slump before that triple. It was something really cool to see, but I didn’t stop and regard it in awe as a truly historic moment.

Reliever Ken Roberts (0-1), called up from Triple-A Albuquerque earlier in the day, took the loss. It was just the fifth homer Ross has issued in more than 145 innings this season.

Kemp’s triple in the ninth hit off the top of the padding of the centerfield wall and bounced back toward the infield, over the head of Rockies centerfielder Charlie Blackmon. Padres INF Cory Spangenberg was reinstated from the 15-day disabled list, and LHP Frank Garces was optioned to Triple-A El Paso. “That’s the goal”, Morneau said.