Red Sox ALDS Game 3: Brock Holt first to hit for cycle in postseason

Boston Red Sox infielder Brock Holt made history by hitting for the cycle in Game 3 of the American League Division Series.

The New York Yankees had their Mr. October. Now the Boston Red Sox counter with Brocktober.

Brock Holt rewarded his manager’s decision to stick him in the lineup for Game 3 of the ALDS with a monster four-hit performance. The Brockstar became the first player in major league history to hit for the cycle in a postseason game.

The first hit was a single up the middle to lead off the fourth inning. Holt would score when Lance Lynn issued a bases-loaded walk to Mookie Betts immediately after relieving struggling starter Luis Severino.

The Red Sox weren’t done in that fourth inning and neither was Holt. His turn would come around again later that frame against Chad Green, the third Yankees pitcher of the inning. Holt ripped a line drive into the right-field corner for a triple that drove in a pair of runs. Boston sent 11 hitters to the plate in the fourth inning, scoring seven runs.

We would have to wait until the eighth inning for Holt to find his next hit, a deep drive that split the gap in right-center and bounced into the bullpen for a ground rule double. He drove in a run but may have been robbed of another RBI by the ball bouncing over the fence. Had it stayed in play there was a solid chance Ian Kinsler could have scored from first base.

Holt completed the cycle in the ninth inning by taking advantage of the short porch in right field for a 355-foot home run. Yes, it counts even when it comes against backup catcher Austin Romine. The Red Sox abused the Yankees pitching staff to the point where they waived the white flag by sending a position player to the mound in a playoff game!

Holt finished the game 4-for-6 with three runs scored and five RBI.

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The Swiss army knife has been invaluable for his ability to play nearly any position, giving the Red Sox limitless flexibility with their bench. Yet given that Holt was one of the team’s hottest hitters down the stretch it was a bit surprising that he couldn’t find his way into the lineup until Game 3. Cora finally rectified that mistake and it paid off.

While Holt isn’t normally viewed as a power threat, he’s no stranger to hitting for the cycle. He completed the rare accomplishment in June 2015. Holt was the last Red Sox player to hit for the cycle until Betts did it this past August. Holt joked that Betts stole the “one thing” he had that nobody else on the team could claim. Now Holt can boast about doing one thing that nobody in the history of the game has done on the postseason stage.

Unless of course, Betts uses this as motivation to one-up his teammate again. The competitive spirit of the hitters in this lineup could fuel the Red Sox to do more damage this postseason.