Philadelphia Phillies superstar Bryce Harper recorded his first MLB cycle to lead his team to a dominant 15-3 win over the New York Mets on Saturday. However, a section of fans questions the record’s legitimacy, citing Harper’s triple that completed the cycle.
The controversy surrounding the triple stemmed from the Mets’ questionable defensive play in the fifth inning. Kyle Schwarber was already on first base when Harper lined the ball into the left-center field gap.
Outfielder Carson Benge misjudged the ball, expecting it to bounce off the wall. However, it didn’t bounce as expected and eluded Benge, allowing Harper to push past second base aggressively.
Benge threw the ball to shortstop Zack Short, who fired the relay throw to home instead of third base to stop the trailing runner. In this scenario, critics of Harper argue that he was able to reach third base because of the fielder’s choice.
As such, they argue the hit should be recored as a double with in advance on the throw. They let their feelings about the matter known on X.
Official scoring experts point out that the Rule 9.06 (Determing the Value of Base Hits) validates Harper’s fifth inning hit as a clean triple. The Phillies slugger didn’t adjust his pace based on the throw going home. His uninterrupted, aggressive intent logicaly earned him a tripe.
Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber Propel Philles to Stunning Win
Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber were the architects of the Phillies’ 15-3 victory over the Mets in Game 2 of their three-game home series at Citizen Bank Park. While Harper completed his first ever cycle, Schwarber smashed three home runs, two in the same inning.
Harper kicked of the scoring with a solo home run in the first inning off Mets starter Freddy Peralta. He followed it with a double and an RBI single in the eight-run third inning before completing the cycle with a triple in the fifth.
“Got close a couple of times, but being able to do that, having that moment is really really cool,” Harper said of his milestone moment after the game.
Schwarber complemented Harper’s milestone with a display of raw power. He went four-for-five with four runs and six RBIs. The designated hitter smashed two homers, both over 450 feet, in the third inning, before another solo shot in the seventh.
Schwarber currently leads the MLB in homers with 28. Houston Astros’ Yordan Alvarez and Minnesota Twins’ Byron Buxton are second with 24 each.
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