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Padres News: Matt Kemp Hits for First Cycle in Padres History!

By Daryll Dorman |

Well the San Diego Padres got one monkey off their back in Colorado Friday night.

It may not be a World Championship, and it may not be a no-hitter, but no longer do the Padres carry the tag of “Franchise without hitting for the cycle” thanks to one Matt Kemp.

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No matter how you view the season Matt Kemp as had his first year in San Diego, he made sure the history books will remember it one way as he waited until the 9th inning to hit a pure triple and complete the cycle. The Padres also won the game 9-5.

As Corey Brock points out, the Padres had been one hit shy of the cycle 361 times, and of those times 258 of them were a triple short. Last year Tommy Medica almost made it when he tripled and homered early and missed it by a single. Even that was somewhat disputed as they disputed the error call but lost. Getting a cycle that way though would’ve been cheating a little bit.

For Matt Kemp, there was no cheating it. The ball carried through the thin-Colorado air and Kemp initially thought that he had hit his second home run of the night. Yet the ball caromed off of the wall and Kemp just kept running. It was only his second triple of the season and also his first career cycle.

Tyson Ross struggled again through 5 innings, allowing 1 home run and walking three. Bud Norris allowed an inherited runner to score in the 6th and tie the game before the bullpen restored order and only allowed one more run (unearned) the rest of the night. San Diego had a big 4 run 7th which break the deadlock and set up Kemp’s big 9th inning.

For a season that certainly has not gone the way many had hoped, it was a fun night to celebrate a milestone achievement for Kemp and the Padres.

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