BOSTON — Brock Holt had just become the 21st player in Boston Red Sox history to hit for the cycle, the first since John Valentin 19 years ago.
Still, Pablo Sandoval made like he was unimpressed.
“Hey Brock,” the Red Sox jovial third baseman shouted, “do it twice.”
Holt laughed.
Laughter has been in short supply around the Red Sox these days. But 18 hits — including Holt’s single, double, triple and home run — and a strong start from lefty Wade Miley sparked a 9-4 victory Tuesday and snapped a seven-game losing streak that had left everybody on edge.
The first player to hit for the cycle in 2015 was considered a backup when the season began. But Holt plays almost every position on the field, and his versatility has left him in the lineup almost every day for manager John Farrell.
Farrell didn’t have much choice Tuesday against the Atlanta Braves. Second baseman Dustin Pedroia (knee) and left fielder Hanley Ramirez (back) were unavailable, so Holt got the start at second.
Holt was still smiling more than an hour after his eighth-inning triple completed his historic day.
“Obviously I knew I needed a triple,” he said. “I didn’t expect to hit one, but as soon as the barrel hit the ball I was like, ‘Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God.’ Because once it gets in the triangle (in center field at Fenway Park) anything is possible. So I was just running on my horses and it worked out.”
Holt began the day with a leadoff double, scoring in the first inning after Mookie Betts drove him in with one of his three hits on the day. Holt singled in the fifth, hit an opposite-field home run over the Green Monster in the seventh and hit a looping triple into the center-field triangle in the eighth.