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NBC Sports
2 days ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Twins' Byron Buxton hits for first cycle at Target Field since ballpark opened in 2010
MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Twins All-Star center fielder Byron Buxton admitted to feeling a little added pressure before Saturday's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. It was his bobblehead day, meaning the first 10,000 fans to walk through the gates at Target Field would receive a replica of Buxton doing his 'Buck Truck' home run celebration. 'I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous before the game started, just knowing it was bobblehead day,' Buxton said. 'Obviously you want to come out and do something good.' Buxton did more than something good. He became the first player to hit for the cycle at Target Field since the ballpark opened in 2010, helping ignite the Twins to a 12-4 win over the Pirates. It was the 12th cycle in Twins history and the first since Jorge Polanco had one in 2019. Buxton had three hits through three innings — a single in the first, a triple in the six-run second and a double in the third. After singling again in the fifth, he had one more opportunity in the bottom of the seventh. Buxton, who will participate in next week's Home Run Derby in Atlanta, crushed a 427-foot solo homer off Pirates reliever Andrew Heaney with two outs in the seventh to make it an 11-3 game and complete the cycle. That brought the Target Field crowd to its feet, many of which celebrated with Buxton bobbleheads. With his team holding a comfortable lead, Twins manager Rocco Baldelli almost took Buxton out of the game before his final at-bat, he admitted afterward. Thankfully for Baldelli — and Buxton — a few coaches reminded the skipper what was at stake. 'He was 4 for 4 at the time. But with everything going on during a game, sometimes I'll be the one that might miss on a hitting streak or something that's going on with a particular player,' Baldelli said. 'But once they reminded me of that, he was going to stay in the game. He was going to get another at-bat, regardless of the score, and give him a chance to do something great.' The homer was Buxton's 21st of the season, tied for fifth most in the American League. With two runs driven in Saturday, Buxton now has 55 RBIs on the season — just one shy of his single-season high. He boasts an OPS of .921 and is 17 for 17 in stolen bases. 'It's one of the greatest first halves I've ever witnessed,' Baldelli said. Buxton was replaced in center field after the seventh inning, but not before getting a standing ovation curtain call from Twins fans. He also received a Gatorade bath courtesy of teammate Ty France, who was headed to the clubhouse before realizing that nobody had doused Buxton yet after the game. 'It's special,' Buxton said. 'To be able to come out on bobblehead day like this and have a day like this is something I won't forget.'


Fox Sports
2 days ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Buxton hits for the cycle on his bobblehead day as Twins beat Pirates, 12-4
Associated Press MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — All-Star center fielder Byron Buxton hit for the cycle on his bobblehead day, completing it with a solo home run in the seventh inning, and the Minnesota Twins routed the Pittsburgh Pirates 12-4 on Saturday. Buxton hit a single in the first inning, a triple in the second and a double in the third. He singled again in the fifth before stepping to the plate in the seventh for one more chance at the first cycle ever at Target Field, which opened in 2010. Facing Pirates reliever Andrew Heaney, Buxton hit a solo homer 427 feet to center field to complete the cycle — and send Target Field into a frenzy. His timing was perfect, too: Saturday's giveaway at the stadium was a Buxton bobblehead of his 'Buck Truck' home run celebration. Buxton's homer came two days before the Home Run Derby, in which he'll participate in his home state of Georgia at Truist Park in Atlanta. Kody Clemens hit a three-run homer in the Twins' six-run second inning. Matt Wallner and Willi Castro each hit solo homers, with Castro's coming right after Buxton's momentous blast. Cole Sands threw two hitless innings as Minnesota's opening pitcher. Reliever Travis Adams (1-0) gave up two hits and two runs — one unearned — in four innings to pick up his first career win in his second major league appearance. Pirates starter Mike Burrows (1-3) recorded just four outs before he was lifted in his shortest start of the year. Jack Suwinski homered for the Pirates, who lost their eighth straight game. Key moment Buxton's cycle was the highlight of the game, but it was Clemens' blast that opened the floodgates in the Twins' six-run second inning. Key stat Buxton became the 12th player in Twins history to hit for the cycle. Up next RHP Mitch Keller (3-10, 3.58 ERA) starts Pittsburgh's final game before the All-Star break. RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (5-4, 4.08) takes the mound Sunday for the Twins. ___ AP MLB: recommended Item 1 of 3


Hamilton Spectator
2 days ago
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Buxton hits for the cycle on his bobblehead day as Twins beat Pirates, 12-4
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — All-Star center fielder Byron Buxton hit for the cycle on his bobblehead day, completing it with a solo home run in the seventh inning, and the Minnesota Twins routed the Pittsburgh Pirates 12-4 on Saturday. Buxton hit a single in the first inning, a triple in the second and a double in the third. He singled again in the fifth before stepping to the plate in the seventh for one more chance at the first cycle ever at Target Field, which opened in 2010. Facing Pirates reliever Andrew Heaney, Buxton hit a solo homer 427 feet to center field to complete the cycle — and send Target Field into a frenzy. His timing was perfect, too: Saturday's giveaway at the stadium was a Buxton bobblehead of his 'Buck Truck' home run celebration. Buxton's homer came two days before the Home Run Derby, in which he'll participate in his home state of Georgia at Truist Park in Atlanta. Kody Clemens hit a three-run homer in the Twins' six-run second inning. Matt Wallner and Willi Castro each hit solo homers, with Castro's coming right after Buxton's momentous blast. Cole Sands threw two hitless innings as Minnesota's opening pitcher. Reliever Travis Adams (1-0) gave up two hits and two runs — one unearned — in four innings to pick up his first career win in his second major league appearance. Pirates starter Mike Burrows (1-3) recorded just four outs before he was lifted in his shortest start of the year. Jack Suwinski homered for the Pirates, who lost their eighth straight game. Key moment Buxton's cycle was the highlight of the game, but it was Clemens' blast that opened the floodgates in the Twins' six-run second inning. Key stat Buxton became the 12th player in Twins history to hit for the cycle. Up next RHP Mitch Keller (3-10, 3.58 ERA) starts Pittsburgh's final game before the All-Star break. RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (5-4, 4.08) takes the mound Sunday for the Twins. ___ AP MLB:


San Francisco Chronicle
2 days ago
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Buxton hits for the cycle on his bobblehead day as Twins beat Pirates, 12-4
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — All-Star center fielder Byron Buxton hit for the cycle on his bobblehead day, completing it with a solo home run in the seventh inning, and the Minnesota Twins routed the Pittsburgh Pirates 12-4 on Saturday. Buxton hit a single in the first inning, a triple in the second and a double in the third. He singled again in the fifth before stepping to the plate in the seventh for one more chance at the first cycle ever at Target Field, which opened in 2010. Facing Pirates reliever Andrew Heaney, Buxton hit a solo homer 427 feet to center field to complete the cycle — and send Target Field into a frenzy. His timing was perfect, too: Saturday's giveaway at the stadium was a Buxton bobblehead of his 'Buck Truck' home run celebration. Buxton's homer came two days before the Home Run Derby, in which he'll participate in his home state of Georgia at Truist Park in Atlanta. Kody Clemens hit a three-run homer in the Twins' six-run second inning. Matt Wallner and Willi Castro each hit solo homers, with Castro's coming right after Buxton's momentous blast. Cole Sands threw two hitless innings as Minnesota's opening pitcher. Reliever Travis Adams (1-0) gave up two hits and two runs — one unearned — in four innings to pick up his first career win in his second major league appearance. Pirates starter Mike Burrows (1-3) recorded just four outs before he was lifted in his shortest start of the year. Key moment Buxton's cycle was the highlight of the game, but it was Clemens' blast that opened the floodgates in the Twins' six-run second inning. Key stat Buxton became the 12th player in Twins history to hit for the cycle. Up next RHP Mitch Keller (3-10, 3.58 ERA) starts Pittsburgh's final game before the All-Star break. RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (5-4, 4.08) takes the mound Sunday for the Twins. ___


Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Buxton hits for the cycle on his bobblehead day as Twins beat Pirates, 12-4
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — All-Star center fielder Byron Buxton hit for the cycle on his bobblehead day, completing it with a solo home run in the seventh inning, and the Minnesota Twins routed the Pittsburgh Pirates 12-4 on Saturday. Buxton hit a single in the first inning, a triple in the second and a double in the third. He singled again in the fifth before stepping to the plate in the seventh for one more chance at the first cycle ever at Target Field, which opened in 2010. Facing Pirates reliever Andrew Heaney, Buxton hit a solo homer 427 feet to center field to complete the cycle — and send Target Field into a frenzy. His timing was perfect, too: Saturday's giveaway at the stadium was a Buxton bobblehead of his 'Buck Truck' home run celebration. Buxton's homer came two days before the Home Run Derby, in which he'll participate in his home state of Georgia at Truist Park in Atlanta. Kody Clemens hit a three-run homer in the Twins' six-run second inning. Matt Wallner and Willi Castro each hit solo homers, with Castro's coming right after Buxton's momentous blast. Cole Sands threw two hitless innings as Minnesota's opening pitcher. Reliever Travis Adams (1-0) gave up two hits and two runs — one unearned — in four innings to pick up his first career win in his second major league appearance. Pirates starter Mike Burrows (1-3) recorded just four outs before he was lifted in his shortest start of the year. Jack Suwinski homered for the Pirates, who lost their eighth straight game. Key moment Buxton's cycle was the highlight of the game, but it was Clemens' blast that opened the floodgates in the Twins' six-run second inning. Key stat Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. Buxton became the 12th player in Twins history to hit for the cycle. Up next RHP Mitch Keller (3-10, 3.58 ERA) starts Pittsburgh's final game before the All-Star break. RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (5-4, 4.08) takes the mound Sunday for the Twins. ___ AP MLB: