J.T. Realmuto's Cycle Gets Overshadowed By Benches-Clearing Incident In Phillies-Diamondbacks Game
One of Major League Baseball's coolest and rarest feats happened Tuesday night when Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto hit for the cycle. The only problem is nobody knows about it.
Now what could be the ONE thing that happened in a professional baseball game that would overshadow the cycle? You guessed it ... the benches clearing.
The worst part is there weren't even any punches thrown. And people still are talking more about that today than Realmuto's accomplishment. Maybe Commissioner Rob Manfred does have himself a problem with the future of the sport.
HIGH TENSIONS
The drama between the Diamondbacks and Phillies started when D-backs manager Torey Lovullo began arguing with the umpire after his best player Corbin Carroll was hit for the second time in three innings. Lovulla then argued with Realmuto after the Phillies catcher said it wasn't intentional; it appeared it wasn't as the Phillies were up 5-1 at the time.
Eventually Lovullo was tossed but then started yelling at the Phillies dugout. Both teams rushed the field and pretended to be tough guys only for nothing to actually happen.
After the game Lovullo said he went out there to "create an awareness that it’s not making anybody comfortable and there's not going to be a good result if this continues." Phillies manager Rob Thomson however took issue with Lovullo's actions and said, "I wouldn't do that, I wouldn't yell at a player."
Despite getting hit by two pitches, Carroll would eventually get his revenge when he drove in the tying run in the fifth inning with a game-tying triple. The Diamondbacks would eventually come back to beat the Phillies 9-7.
REALMUTO'S NIGHT
Only 342 MLB players have hit for the cycle throughout the history of the game, with Realmuto becoming the first Phillies player since David Bell in 2004.
The star Phillies catcher started off with a homer, then knocked off the hardest hit to get - a triple, then a single and wrapped it all up perfectly with a double in the ninth inning.
However, more people are talking about the drama between the D-Backs and Phillies than Realmuto's accomplishment.
The teams continue their four-game series Tuesday night in Arizona.