On Second Try, Nats Get First Win

welch · Post by **welch** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 10:18 am

And so it begins...again!

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/ar ... 5Apr6.html

Wilkerson Hits For the Cycle, Guillen Homers: Nationals 7, Phillies 3

By Barry Svrluga
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, April 7, 2005; Page D01

PHILADELPHIA, April 6 -- All the pieces were there. The right fielder, acquired in the offseason because his former team was desperate to unload him, blasting the go-ahead home run. The third baseman, signed as a free agent even though others felt he couldn't produce away from Denver's thin air, knocking out four hits. The bullpen, which started last year by dropping 14 of its first 15 decisions, allowing just one of 10 hitters to reach base.

And the center fielder. Goodness, the center fielder. When Brad Wilkerson came to the plate in the eighth inning Wednesday night and promptly launched a pitch from Philadelphia Phillies reliever Aaron Fultz on a hop over the center field wall, the Washington Nationals had a bit of history. Check the scorecard. Wilkerson homered in the third, singled in the fifth, tripled in the seventh -- and there it was, the ground-rule double that gave him the cycle.

skins81 · Post by **skins81** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 10:53 am

That would be great to see someone hit for the cycle. It only happens a few times a year.
Wilkerson's done it TWICE. :shock:

JansenFan · Post by **JansenFan** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 11:35 am

Congrats Nats. Wilkerson is a heckova ball player.

BossHog · Post by **BossHog** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 2:17 pm

Wilkerson's first cycle was actually a 'natural' cycle... an even rarer event... hitting the cycle in natural order - 1B,2B,3B,H. Wilkerson was only the 13th 'natural' one in baseball history.

Even rarer still is the cycle with a grand slam for a home run.... done only 6 times in history. :shock:

air_hog · Post by **air_hog** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 5:30 pm

Did you know this was Wilkersons second time hitting for the cycle!

That too must be pretty rare.

Jake · Post by **Jake** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 7:42 pm

air_hog wrote:Did you know this was Wilkersons second time hitting for the cycle!

That too must be pretty rare.

Uhh... no... didn't know that...

washington53 · Post by **washington53** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 10:05 pm

GO NATS
Once we get winning we wont stop baby.

BossHog · Post by **BossHog** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 11:30 pm

Actually Wilkerson is the 20th guy to hit two cycles in his career.

Only two guys have hit THREE career cycles:
Babe Herman
Bob Meusel
Hherman hit two of them just 5 weeks apart for the Brooklyn Dodgers back in 1931. :shock: