Kabayama hits for the cycle in Bulls win
By Lethbridge Herald on August 2, 2024.
Herald photo by JUSTIN Seward
Lethbridge Bulls Bernie Socarras connects for a base hit during Western Canadian Baseball League action against the Fort McMurray Giants on Friday night at Spitz Stadium.By Justin Seward
Lethbridge Herald
Lethbridge Bulls’ Josh Kabayama hit for the cycle to lead the way in a 15-7 win over the Fort McMurray Giants during Western Canadian Baseball League action on Friday night.
The cycle is when a player hits a home run, triple, single, and double in the same game and Kabayama did all that in four innings in four at bats.
“Just keep it simple at the plate,” said Kabayama.
“(Just) stick to an approach and I got some pitches to hit and things kind of went my way.”
Kabayama was excited when he saw the ball drop for a single to complete the cycle.
“It was also like a two-RBI single, so I was able to tack on a couple more runs for the team,” said Kabayama.
“It’s pretty cool and I couldn’t help but smile.”
The coaches picked up the ball that Kabayama had hit the cycle with and wrote that on it along with the date.
“That’s pretty cool and pretty special and I’ll be sure to hold on to that,” said Kabayama.Kabayama went 4-for-6 at the plate with three runs and four RBIs.
The Bulls opened the scoring in the bottom of the first when Kabayama scored on a wild pitch while Jack Kalisky was at the plate.
Lethbridge added four runs in the third inning.
Kabayama started it off with a two-run homer.
Adonis Bernal then hit a single to score Tyler Monroe to make it 4-0.
Kalisky then scored on a Bernie Socarras single to make the score 5-0 Bulls.
The Giants clawed back in the fourth inning with four runs to pull to within a run of the Bulls.
A Joe Finder single scored two runs to make the score 5-2.
Garry Harmer reached first base on an error by the Bulls shortstop with the bases loaded and as a result scored two runs to make the score 5-4.
Lethbridge extended their lead in the bottom of the fourth with six runs.
A Scott Hansen single scored Kabayama to start the scoring in the inning.
Hansen made it to second on the same play and Kalisky was next up and hit a double to score him.
Jake Lacey came up to the plate later on and was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, allowing Kalisky to score.
Roberto Chaparro came to the dish and hit a single to the short stop, scoring Bernal from third.
Kabayama’s cycle hitting single then scored two more runs to make the score 11-4 Bulls after four innings.
The Bulls added two more runs in the fifth inning when a Kyle Yip single scored Hansen and an error by the Giants shortstop then scored Socarras from third.
Hansen continued his productive night at the plate in the sixth with a single to score Monroe.
Hansen then scored on a Bernal ground out.
The Giants tacked three more runs in the eighth inning.
The win comes after edging Brooks 6-5 on Thursday night.
The Bulls (35-18) wrap up the regular season with three games in three nights beginning tonight with a home game versus the Giants.
Please see the article on the Herald’s website with quotes from Kabayama on the cycle.
The win was also the most in a season for the Bulls.
35-34
