Kyle Schwarber hits three homers and Bryce Harper cycles in Phillies win
Kyle Schwarber hit three home runs and Bryce Harper completed a historic cycle as the Philadelphia Phillies comprehensively defeated the New York Mets 15-3 on Saturday night.
The remarkable victory saw the National League East franchise become only the second team in Major League Baseball history to feature both a cycle and a three-homer individual performance in the exact same game.
This rare dual milestone was previously achieved by the New York Yankees in 1932, when Tony Lazzeri hit for the cycle alongside a four-homer masterclass from Lou Gehrig.
Schwarber dominates with powerful displays
The veteran designated hitter ignited an eight-run explosion in the third inning by launching a massive solo shot 456 feet into the right-field upper deck off visiting starter Freddy Peralta.
Later in that exact same frame, the powerful left-handed batter returned to the plate to crush a three-run blast off relief pitcher Cionel Perez that landed 457 feet away in almost the identical spot.
He is just the 67th player in major league history to record two home runs in a single inning, joining Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez who managed the rare accomplishment earlier this season.
The 31-year-old later added a two-run homer in the seventh inning off Tobias Myers, taking his major league-leading total to 28 for the campaign.
Harper completes rapid cycle
While his teammate was continually clearing the fences, Harper was busy securing his own piece of franchise history by hitting for the cycle before the end of the fifth inning.
The two-time National League Most Valuable Player began his historic night with a solo home run in the first inning to mark his 16th long ball of the current season.
After doubling and scoring on an error in the third, the former Washington Nationals standout added a sharp single immediately following his teammate’s second home run of the frame.
He completed the famous milestone in the fifth inning by driving a ball into the left-center gap and speeding around the bases for a two-run triple.
The dynamic first baseman is the 11th player in Phillies history to hit for the cycle, and the first to do so since Weston Wilson achieved the feat in August 2024.