Coors Field the likeliest spot to see a cycle
DENVER -- Coors Field is the best place in the history of the sport for a hitter to accomplish a cycle -- a single, double, triple and home run in the same game.
But, at the same time, what has happened to the cycle at Coors?
Coors has hosted 18 cycles -- notably, nine by the Rockies and nine by opponents -- since it opened in 1995. Boston’s Fenway Park, which opened in 1912, also has seen 18 -- the latest being one by the Astros' Jose Altuve on Aug. 28, 2023.
Imagine, 18 cycles in such comparatively little time.
Several of the Coors Field cycles jump out:
• Carlos González in 2010 and Nolan Arenado on Father’s Day in '17 accomplished theirs with walk-off home runs. Dante Bichette’s cycle-competing single in 1998 in the 10th inning was good for a walk-off win.
• Arenado’s was the first cycle-completed walk-off homer to occur with the team trailing at the time.
• Mike Lansing in 2000 ended the drama by accomplishing his feat in the first four innings of a lopsided victory.
• Michael Cuddyer in 2014 paired one with his cycle for the Twins in 2009. He joined Bob Watson and John Olerud as the only players with cycles in both leagues.
• In 2018, Charlie Blackmon became the first player to cycle in the 162nd game of the season. It wasn’t the last game, however, because the Rockies played and lost a tiebreaker for the National League West title against the Dodgers.
Opposing hitters also have enjoyed history-making days at Coors Field:
• The first Coors Field cycle, by the Cardinals’ John Mabry in 1996, was a “natural cycle” – single, double, triple and home run, in order.
• The Astros’ Craig Biggio, the only Hall of Famer on this list, cycled in the Rockies’ 2002 home opener.
• The Giants’ Fred Lewis’ first career home run was part of his 2007 cycle.
• The Rangers’ Shin-Soo Choo in 2015 became the first Korean player to accomplish the feat.
• The only time a cycle has happened in a Rockies road game was in 2019 -- Washington’s Trea Turner did it at Nationals Park. It was a familiar feeling. Turner accomplished the feat at Coors Field two seasons earlier.
By the way, as common as cycles are at Coors Field, a no-hitter has happened just once, Hideo Nomo in 1996.
Sit back and watch the Coors Field cycles:
John Mabry, Cardinals: May 18, 1996 -- Rockies 9, Cardinals 8
Dante Bichette, Rockies: June 10, 1998 -- Rockies 9, Rangers 8 (10 innings)
Neifi Perez, Rockies: July 25, 1998 -- Rockies 5, Cardinals 2
Todd Helton, Rockies: June 19, 1999 -- Rockies 10, Marlins 2
Mike Lansing, Rockies: June 18, 2000 -- Rockies 19, D-backs 2
Craig Biggio, Astros: April 8, 2002 -- Astros 8, Rockies 4
Fred Lewis, Giants: May 13, 2007 -- Giants 15, Rockies 2
Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies: Aug. 10, 2009 -- Rockies 11, Cubs 5
Carlos González, Rockies: July 31, 2010 -- Rockies 6, Cubs 5
Pablo Sandoval, Giants: Sept. 15, 2011 -- Giants 8, Rockies 5
Scott Hairston, Mets: April 27, 2012 -- Rockies 18, Mets 9
Michael Cuddyer, Rockies: Aug. 17, 2014 -- Rockies 10, Reds 5
Shin-Soo Choo, Rangers: July 21, 2015 -- Rangers 9, Rockies 0
Matt Kemp, Padres: Aug. 14, 2015 -- Padres 9, Rockies 5
Wil Myers, Padres: April 10, 2017 -- Padres 5, Rockies 3
Trea Turner, Nationals: April 25, 2017 -- Nationals 15, Rockies 12
Nolan Arenado, Rockies: June 18, 2017 -- Rockies 7, Giants 5
Charlie Blackmon, Rockies: Sept. 30, 2018 -- Rockies 12, Nationals 0