Shohei Ohtani Is First Japanese Born Player To Hit For The Cycle

L.A. Times reports:

Six years had passed since the Angels last had a player hit for the cycle. It finally came from one of the most likely sources Thursday, a stormy night in the Tampa Bay area that featured both a power delay and power display. Shohei Ohtani, last year’s American League rookie of the year, collected a single, double, triple and homer in a 5-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays. No other MLB player born in Japan had hit one until the Rays shifted their infield to the right, leaving the left side of the field exposed, and Ohtani beat them anyway with a seventh-inning single into shallow right-center field.

Ohtani began the night with a three-run homer in the Angels’ five-run first inning off Rays starter Ryan Yarbrough. He added a double third.

A fire at a nearby electrical substation caused a brief, complete loss of power and delayed the game 36 minutes with one out in the bottom of the fourth inning. That didn’t stop Ohtani. He came to bat in the fifth after Angels starter Tyler Skaggs, who stayed in the game long enough to qualify for his first victory since May 13, finished retiring the Rays in order, and Ohtani hit a ball into the right-field corner. He beat the throw from Avisail Garcia easily for his first triple of the season.

Ohtani worked an eight-pitch at-bat in the seventh inning. With a 3-and-2 count, he fouled back two straight fastballs. Then right-handed reliever Hunter Wood dropped a slider into the inner third of the zone. Ohtani bounced it into right field for a single.

Angels in the dugout raised their hands, gesturing for the ball to be taken out of play. Ohtani had made history. Again.