Brock Holt hits the first cycle in MLB postseason history

The home run was hit off only the second position player to pitch in the playoffs.

The Red Sox beat the Yankees 16-1 in ALDS Game 3 on Monday night to take a 2-1 lead in the series. It was the Yankees’ worst postseason loss ever, and having it happen at Yankee Stadium can’t feel great for the guys in pinstripes. But they have one more game at the Stadium and then another in Boston to potentially turn things around so this series is far from over.

Two things happened during Game 3 that you usually don’t see in the postseason. The first was that Austin Romine, backup catcher for New York, pitched the top of the ninth. The last (and only) time a position player pitched in the postseason was Cliff Pennington when the Blue Jays played the Royals in the 2015 ALCS.

The other was, a little bit thanks to Romine, the first postseason cycle in MLB history. Boston’s Brock Holt has had a hot bat in stretches all season and got the nod to start on Monday night after a few games on the bench. He singled and tripled in the Red Sox seven-run fourth inning that blew the game open for Boston.

Then, he hit a ground rule double in the top of the eight to leave just a home run left in his cycle checklist. The Yankees had such a rough night on the mound he got to the plate again in the ninth, this time against Romine, and hit a two-run shot to put Boston up the 15 runs they’d end the game ahead. He did all this and also grounded out twice, that’s how many times Boston’s lineup went through the turnstyle.

He said after the game “It was a fun night,” that “tonight’s a night I’ll remember for a long time” and was unsure if he was actually the first cycle in history. Yes Brock, you are.

The two teams will face off again tomorrow night to see if the Yankees can extend their season to a Game 5. Or if a 16 run win gives Boston all the momentum they need to finish the series off.