Bleday’s historic cycle powers Reds rout of Diamondbacks
JJ Bleday completed the cycle in his first four at-bats and surpassed his career home run record as Cincinnati defeated Arizona 11-5 in Phoenix.
The Cincinnati Reds delivered a decisive performance against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday night, securing an 11-5 victory in Phoenix that was anchored by a rare offensive feat from outfielder JJ Bleday. Bleday hit for the cycle in his first four at-bats, a statistical milestone that marked the fourth such occurrence of the season and the eighth in Reds history dating back to 1890.
Bleday’s offensive sequence began with a double in the first inning off Arizona starter Michael Soroka, followed by a triple in the third and a single in the fourth against reliever Zach Littell. He completed the cycle by leading off the sixth inning with a line drive over the right-field fence. The home run was his 21st of the season, surpassing his previous career high of 20 set with the Athletics in 2024.
Teammate Elly De La Cruz also contributed significantly to the Reds’ offensive output, recording four hits including a 450-foot home run to right field in the fifth inning. The blast was De La Cruz’s 21st of the season. Although he fell short of a cycle, De La Cruz had previously achieved the feat for Cincinnati against Atlanta in 2023.
The Reds’ lineup continued to produce as rookie Héctor Rodríguez recorded his first career home run in the seventh inning. Matt McLain also added a home run, his 13th of the season, as the team finished with 16 total hits. For Arizona, Nolan Arenado and Tim Tawa both homered, while catcher Gabriel Moreno extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a ninth-inning double.
On the mound, Cincinnati starter Rhett Lowder (5-8) allowed four runs over six innings. Arizona starter Michael Soroka (8-4) exited after 3 1/3 innings, having surrendered six hits and six runs. The series concludes on Sunday, when Cincinnati’s Andrew Abbott faces Arizona’s Mitch Bratt.
