With the Mets holding a two-run lead in the top of the ninth on Monday night, Eduardo Escobar already had his mission in mind.
If he put the ball in play, take off for third base and complete the first Mets cycle in a decade.
"I said 'Wherever I hit the ball in the park, run hard to third base,'" Escobar said. "It's unbelievable. It's hard, hitting the cycle at this level…today is a special night for me, but most important is winning, and being able to help the team win."
Escobar was eager to make history and jumped on the first pitch he saw and laced it to deep right field and just out of the reach of Nomar Mazara. As soon as the ball fell to the warning track and caromed off the wall, Escobar turned on the jets and raced into third with an easy triple, becoming the 11th player in franchise history to hit for the cycle.
The Mets dugout loved it, Escobar was visibly pumped up, but most important to him, it extended New York's lead to 9-5 and sealed the team's third straight win on its tough west coast road trip.
"It's unbelievable," Escobar said. "I'm happy to hit for the cycle, but I'm happy to make the cycle but most importantly, I'm happy we got the win. To come in here and help the team win and play hard is most important for me."
For Escobar, Monday's career night was the continuation of the infielder figuring things out at the plate in his debut season with the Mets. Over his last 20 games following a rough start to the season, he is batting .296 with an .841 OPS and four home runs. Hitting for the cycle against a strong Padres pitching staff was further evidence that Escobar is figuring things out at the plate.
"I give the credit to [Eric] Chavez, to the hitting coach, to my teammates, to everybody that helped me," Escobar said. "They told me all the time, 'It will be fine for you if you keep working hard, your moment is coming.' I'm so happy I've started hitting now and helped the team win, that's most important."
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