August 17, 1933 – Earl Averill Hits for the Cycle

On this Thursday afternoon Monte Pearson was throwing for the Tribe against George Earnshaw and the rest of Connie Mack’s Athletics. The game was in the newly-opened Municipal Stadium where the outfield was immense.

Earl Averill got the first hit of the game–a two-out double into left field in the bottom of the first. Joe Vosmik sent him some with a single into center field. Averill came around to score before Vosmik was put out at second trying to stretch the single into a two-bagger.

Bill Cissel had a two-run homer for the Indians in the bottom of the third. Again with two outs, Averill knocked one into right field. By the time the Athletics Lou Finney ran it down, Averill was safe at third. Once again, Vosmik pushed Averill across the plate with a single. The third ended with the score Indians 4, A’s 0.

The A’s sent nine men to the plate in the top of the fifth, scoring three runs on four hits to cut the Tribe lead to one run.

The Indians countered by sending thirteen batters to the plate in the bottom of the fifth. Earl followed Milt Galatzer’s walk and a sac bunt by Bill Cissel. He singled into right and advanced to second on a throwing error. As the eleventh man up, Averill walked in his fourth appearance. The Tribe scored seven runs on eight hits in the inning, bringing the score to 11-3.

In the bottom of the seventh with Cissel on second, Averill clubbed a home run over the Muni Stadium wall, completing the Indians first cycle since Bill Bradley in Game 136 of 1903.

Dib Williams had an RBI single for the A’s in the top of the eighth, but the A’s would not threaten as Monte Pearson went the distance for the complete game win with a final score of 15-4.

Averill’s cycle was the 62nd in major league baseball since 1901. It was the second of nine cycles to date in Indians history.

Baseball Reference Box Score

Honorable Mention: August 12, 2004 – Ben Broussard Hits Second Pinch-Hit Grand Slam

Kerry Lightenberg walked in the tying run by issuing a bases-loaded free pass to Casey Blake. The Blue Jays made a pitching change and Ben Broussard stepped in against Vinnie Chulk. Broussard took Chulk’s 1-1 pitch deep for his second pinch-hit grand slam of the season.

He is one of five players to hit two pinch-hit grand slams in a season along with Darryl Strawberry in 1998, Brooks Conrad in 2010, Mike Ivie in 1978, and Davey Johnson in 1978.

Baseball Reference Box Score

