The Texas Rangers released this special addendum on how Ian Kinsler's 6-for-6 cycle ranks historically. Here's George Riba's take. And here's more on the amazing night in local sports.
FROM THE ELIAS SPORTS BUREAU
Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler went 6-for-6 while hitting for the cycle in the club's 19-6 win on April 15 vs. Baltimore at Rangers Ballpark...according to the Elias Sports Bureau, the official statistician of Major League Baseball, Kinsler became the first player in modern major
league history (since 1900) to have a 6-hit cycle in a 9-inning game...two players since 1900 had 6-hit cycles in extra-inning games: Bobby Veach for Detroit in a 12-inning game on Sept. 17, 1920 vs. Boston and Rondell White for Montreal in a 13-inning game on June 11, 1995 at S.F...the last major leaguer to have a 6-hit cycle in a 9-inning game was Sam Thompson, playing for Philadelphia in the National League, on Aug. 17, 1894, but Thompson went 6-for-7, not 6-for-6...the last 6-for-6 cycle in a 9-inning game was turned in by a player named Bill Weaver (who was born a few weeks before Lincoln was shot), playing for Louisville against Syracuse on Aug. 12, 1890 in the American Association, which at that time was considered a
major league...that makes Kinsler the first player with a 6-for-6 cycle in a 9-inning game in over 118 years.
• Ian Kinsler went 6-for-6 with a home run, 2 doubles, a triple, a stolen base, 4 RBI, and 5
runs scored in his cycle game...he established a club record for hits in a 9-inning game,
and matched club records for extra-base hits (4) and runs scored (5) in a single
game...his 13 total bases matched the 2nd-highest single-game total in Rangers franchise
history.
CYCLE
• Kinsler is the 4th player in Texas history (1972-2009) to hit for the cycle in a game, the
5th overall in Washington/Texas franchise history (1961-2009)...he is the first strictly righthanded
batter to cycle in franchise history.
• He is the 2nd player to cycle this season, joining Dodgers' Orlando Hudson, who pulled
the trick on April 13 vs. San Francisco in L.A.'s home opener.
• It marked the 6th cycle ever achieved in Arlington and the 4th at Rangers Ballpark, last
by Seattle's Adrian Beltre on Sept. 1, 2008.
• It marked the 2nd cycle ever achieved in a game played between the Rangers and
Orioles, the other by Cal Ripken Jr. on May 6, 1984 at Arlington Stadium.
• The last player with at least 13 total bases in a cycle game was Arizona's Greg Colbrunn (14 TB) on Sept. 18, 2002 at San Diego (thanks to Elias Sports
Bureau).
6 HITS
• His 6 hits matched an American League 9-inning game record, done many times...the only player with 7 hits in a 9-inning game in modern ML history
(since 1900) was Pittsburgh's Rennie Stennett, who went 7-for-7 on Sept. 16, 1975 at Wrigley Field, a 22-0 Pirates win...Kinsler was 2 batters away
from coming to the plate again in the bottom of the 8th in his 6-for-6 contest.
• Alfonso Soriano had the only other 6-hit game in Rangers history on May 8, 2004 vs. Detroit, a 10-inning contest...Soriano actually recorded his 6th
hit in the 9th inning and did not bat in the 10th.
• The only player with 6 hits in a 9-inning game last season was Yankees' Johnny Damon on June 7, 2008 vs. KC...Kinsler is the first right-handed batter
with 6 hits in a 9-inning game since Joe Randa for the Royals on Sept. 9, 2004 at Detroit (6-for-7).
• It was the 4th 6-hit game ever at Rangers Ballpark, the others by Soriano (see above), Anaheim's Garret Anderson (9/27/96 - 15 inn.), and Detroit's
Damion Easley (8/8/01 - 9 inn.).
• Kinsler is just the 24th player since 1954 to go 6-for-6 in a 9-inning game.
JACKIE ROBINSON DAY
• The historic game occurred on Jackie Robinson Day throughout MLB, as the second baseman was wearing a nameless no. 42 to celebrate Robinson's
breaking of the color barrier on April 15, 1947...since Robinson made his debut in 1947, no player had hit for the cycle on April 15 in a season...Robinson
hit for the cycle once: Aug. 29, 1948 at St. Louis...going back to at least 1954, no player had ever compiled 6 hits or 5 runs scored in a game on April
15.
EXTRA-BASE HITS
• Kinsler's career-high 4 extra-base hits matched a Texas club record, the 8th time it had been done, first since Gerald Laird on June 4, 2006 at Chicago-
AL...Kinsler became the first Texas batter to collect 4 XBH at Rangers Ballpark and just the 2nd batter overall to do so at RBIA, joining Tampa Bay's Carl
Crawford on Aug. 2, 2005.
RUNS
• Kinsler scored a career-high 5 runs, also matching the Texas club record...it was the 6th 5-run game in team history, last done by both Marlon Byrd
and Jarrod Saltalamacchia on Aug. 22, 2007 at Baltimore (Game 1).
MISCELLANEOUS
• Going back to 1954, Kinsler is just the 8th second baseman to record at least 13 total bases in a single game, first since Arizona's Damion Easley on
June 3, 2006 at Atlanta (Game 1).
• Kinsler teamed with Marlon Byrd (5 hits) to become the first teammates in Texas history with 5-or-more hits in a single game...it was the first time teammates
had accomplished that feat in the majors (9-inning games) since Philadelphia's Aaron Roward and Shane Victorino (5 hits each) did it on July 17, 2007 at Los Angeles...it had not been done by A.L. teammates (in 9 innings) since Angels' Randy Velarde and Mo Vaughn (5 hits each) pulled it off on June 24, 1999 at Seattle.
MOST TOTAL BASES IN A GAME, TEXAS FRANCHISE HISTORY
TB Player Date / Opp Notes
14 Jose Canseco 6/13/94 vs. Seattle 5 H, 3 HR
13 Juan Gonzalez 9/24/99 vs. Oakland 4 H, 3 HR
13 Josh Hamilton 5/16/08 vs. Houston 5 H, 2 HR, 3B
13 Ian Kinsler 4/15/09 vs. Baltimore 6 H, HR, 2 2B, 3B
RANGERS TO HIT FOR THE CYCLE (4)
Player Date/Opp. Order
Oddibe McDowell 7/23/85 vs. Cle. 2B, 1B, 3B, 1B, HR
Mark Teixeira 8/17/04 vs. Cle. 2B, HR, 3B, 1B
Gary Matthews Jr. 9/13/06 at Det. 1B, 2B, 3B, HR
Ian Kinsler 4/15/09 vs. Bal. 2B, HR, 1B, 1B, 3B, 2B
Additionally, Senators' Jim King hit for cycle on 5/26/64 at Boston. Kinsler is one of just 4 players since 1954 to combine for 6 hits, 5 runs, and 4 extra-base hits in a single game, the only player to accomplish the feat in his home park.
PLAYERS WITH 6 HITS, 5 RUNS, AND 4 EXTRA-BASE HITS IN A SINGLE GAME, 1954-2009
Player Team Date/Opp. Inn. Detail
Rondell White Montreal June 11, 1995 at San Francisco 13 6-7, 5 R, 2 2B, 3B, HR
Edgardo Alfonzo New York-NL Aug. 30, 1999 at Houston 9 6-6, 6 R, 2B, 3 HR
Shawn Green Los Angeles May 23, 2002 at Milwaukee 9 6-6, 6 R, 2B, 4 HR
Ian Kinsler Texas April 15, 2009 vs. Baltimore 9 6-6, 5 R, 2 2B, 3B, HR
Leave a comment