Xavier Edwards becomes second Marlin to hit for cycle in loss to Brewers

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Miami’s Xavier Edwards became the second Marlins player ever to hit for the cycle Sunday in a 6-2 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.

Edwards hit his first career homer on the opening pitch of the game, drew a leadoff walk in the third, doubled in the fifth and tripled in the seventh. He capped his afternoon by beating out an infield single against two-time NL reliever Devin Williams with two outs in the ninth inning.

He reached base on all four of his plate appearances and had two runs and one RBI.

Before last year, the Marlins had been the only active major league team never to have a batter hit for the cycle. Luis Arráez became the first when he accomplished the feat while going 4 of 5 with two runs and a pair of RBIs in an 8-4 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on April 11, 2023.

“It means a lot,” Edwards said. “I don’t think it’s really set in yet, but it’s pretty cool that I got my first homer to start the game and got to cap it off with a single. I would have been pretty upset with myself if I didn’t hit a single. I usually spray a lot of singles.”

Edwards has been on a tear, with 28 hits in his past 63 at-bats (.444 batting average) to raise his batting average from .240 to .379.

The NL Central-leading Brewers avoided a three-game sweep by the Marlins, who own the second-worst record in the NL. The Brewers have been swept once all season, June 3-5 at Philadelphia.

Jackson Chourio homered and Brice Turang went 2 for 4 and made two straight run-saving catches for the Brewers.

The Brewers honored Ryan Braun before the game by making him the 23rd inductee into their walk of fame. Braun, who played from 2007-20 and spent his entire major league career with Milwaukee, owns the franchise record for homers (352) and ranks second to Hall of Famer Robin Yount in RBIs (1,154).

Braun, a former Miami Hurricane, was the 2011 NL MVP and a six-time All-Star. He was suspended midway through the 2013 season for using performance-enhancing drugs.

“I thank all of you for willing me and our team to success,” Braun told fans during a pregame ceremony. “I wanted more than anything to bring joy and excitement to this fan base and this community that meant so much to all of us.”

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Marlins: Off Monday before beginning a two-game series at Tampa Bay. The scheduled starting pitchers Tuesday are RHP Edward Cabrera (1-3, 7.04 ERA) for the Marlins and LHP Jeffrey Springs (0-0, 0.00) for the Rays.