Yordan Alvarez strikes for the Cycle in Seattle

SEATTLE (AP) — Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez hit a cycle on Sunday against the Seattle Mariners, becoming the 10th player in Houston history to accomplish the feat.

Alvarez hit a single in the first inning, hit his 20th home run of the season in the fourth inning against Mariners starter Bryan Woo, hit a scoring triple to center field in the sixth inning against Taylor Saucedo and completed the cycle with a double down the right field line in the eighth inning against Gregory Santos.

Alvarez finished the Astros’ 6-4 loss to Seattle with 4 for 4, two RBIs and two runs scored.

When asked if he had ever hit a cycle in his baseball life, Alvarez said, “Not even in the Playstation.”

“I’m very excited,” Alvarez said. “I felt a little pressure there, but I knew I needed a double and when I hit the ball, I thought, ‘There it is.'”

The 27-year-old Alvarez completed the second cycle in the history of T-Mobile Park, following Miguel Tejada’s cycle on September 29, 2001.

The three-runer, the sixth of Alvarez’s career, came on a fly ball to deep center field. Julio Rodríguez jumped against the wall to catch the ball, but dropped it, spraining his right ankle. The ball rolled toward the infield before left fielder Dylan Moore grabbed it as Alvarez lunged for third base.

“It was a confusing play,” Alvarez said. “When I hit the ball, I thought it was going to go a little bit further, and then I saw him jump against the wall and catch the ball, and then I saw him hit the wall and the ball fell and it fell. I just knew I had to keep running there.”

Before Sunday, the most recent cycle by a member of the Astros occurred on August 28, 2023 by Jose Altuve against Boston.