Bryce Harper Hits First Career Cycle as Phillies Rout Mets 13-1

Bryce Harper completed the first cycle of his major league career with a two-run triple in the fifth inning Saturday night, leading the Philadelphia Phillies to a 13-1 rout of the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park.

Harper had all four hit types by the fifth inning: a first-inning home run, his 16th of the season, a single and a double in the third, and the triple in the fifth. Hitting for the cycle — recording a single, double, triple and home run in one game — is one of baseball’s rarer offensive feats. Harper finished 4-for-4 with two runs scored and three RBIs.

According to MLB.com, it was the first cycle of Harper’s career, the 11th in Phillies history and only the second in the majors this season. MLB.com said the other came June 15, when Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong hit for the cycle.

The milestone came in a game Philadelphia had already seized control of early. The Phillies broke it open with an eight-run third inning against Mets starter Francisco Peralta, who lasted 2 2/3 innings and was charged with 10 earned runs on 10 hits. Peralta was also the pitcher charged with Harper’s home run and double.

Kyle Schwarber added to the barrage by hitting two home runs in the third inning and finished with two homers on the night. Phillies starter Cristopher Sánchez handled the rest, working six innings and allowing five hits and one earned run while striking out five.

Harper’s cycle-clinching triple came off T. Myers and pushed Philadelphia’s lead to 13-1, putting the exclamation point on both a personal first and a dominant Phillies victory.