Tribe prospect and Akron RubberDucks outfielder Jordan Smith hit for the cycle on Sunday. He needed a 9th-inning two-run triple to complete the feat.
Jordan Smith has hit for the cycle, recording a triple to drive in two runs in the top 9th to give Akron a 6-4 lead. Three outs to go, folks
— Akron RubberDucks (@AkronRubberDuck) July 27, 2014
Smith actually benefitted from a baserunning mishap earlier in the game as he was thrown out at second trying to turn a single into a double. As a result, he was credited with a single, his only single of the game, making the cycle possible.
Smith told MILB.com that his teammates didn’t even realize he had hit for the cycle until he returned the dugout: “Everyone forgot about my double. Everybody was coming up to me and saying, ‘Oh, that’s too bad you got thrown out at second, you could have had a cycle.’… And then everyone thought, ‘Oh, crap,’ and there was kind of a late celebration.”
The 23-year-old Smith, a former 9th round pick of the Tribe in the 2011 draft, is batting just .251 this season wit a .298 on-base percentage.
Tony Lastoria ranked Smith as the Indians’ 19th best prospect entering the season. After a brutal first few months, Smith’s future was seriously in doubt but hopefully this helps spark a strong end to the season for Smith.