After a fifth-inning groundout in his third at bat, Kemp hit an RBI double in the seventh, this time off of Rockies reliever Rafael Betancourt. And he gave the Padres a 5-4 lead with a two-out double in the seventh.
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“Figured it was a catch”, Barnes said.
He didn’t even realize the magnitude of his accomplishment until he was brushing himself off after sliding into third base. Kemp hit a deep fly to right-center that caromed awkwardly off the Coors Field bullpen wall back toward center. In doing so, he joins Boston’s Brock Holt and Texas’ Shin-Soo Choo and Adrian Beltre as players to accomplish the feat this season; overall, Kemp hit the 306th cycle in Major League Baseball history.
In addition to his conversation with his third-base coach, Kemp was asked an interesting question by Colorado third baseman Nolan Arenado: Would Kemp prefer the homer or the triple?
The night belonged to Kemp, who hit the first cycle during San Diego’s 7,444th game as a franchise. It took the Padres 46 years to hit their first cycle, so that means that the Marlins are only halfway to that mark of futility, with this being their 23rd season. He ended the night going 4-for-5 with four RBIs and two runs scored, raising his average to. Rockies RHP Gonzalez Germen was recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque for his second stint this season with the Rockies….
Padres: INF Cory Spangenberg was reinstated from the DL after missing 38 games with a bruised left knee.
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Rockies: 1B Justin Morneau (cervical strain and concussion symptoms) took batting practice Friday. Padres INF Cory Spangenberg was reinstated from the 15-day disabled list, and LHP Frank Garces was optioned to Triple-A El Paso. Padres RF Matt Kemp entered Friday with a.302/.364/.581 slash line in 138 career games against the Rockies with 36 doubles, 31 homers and 112 RBIs – the highest against any opponent.
