June 2–1989 wasn’t a happy year for the Reds. Coming off four consecutive second place finishes, the Reds were distracted by the gambling investigation of Reds’ manager Pete Rose and the team tumbled to fifth place with a 75-87 record. Rose eventually lost his manager’s job and Tommy Helms took over as manager as the team limped home with a 16-21 record under Helms.
However, June 2, 1989, was a big day for one Eric Davis, star centerfielder for the Cincinnati Reds. Davis had one of his best seasons in 1989, batting .289 with 34 homers and 101 rbi and winning the Gold Glove for fielding excellence. And on June 2, 1989, Davis became the last Red to hit for the cycle when he went 4-4 with 6 runs batted in to lead the Reds to a 9-4 win over the San Diego Padres.
Davis doubled in the first inning, singled in the third, homered in the fourth, and tripled in the seventh before giving way to pinch runner Herm Winningham. Three of Davis’s hits came off Walt Terrell with the seventh inning triple being struck off reliever Dave Leiper.
Tom Browning went six innings, allowed eight hits and four runs in gaining his fifth win. The win gave the Reds a 28-22 record, only one game out of first place. The Reds were tied for first as late as June 10 before the distractions really hit the team, and they fell precipitously in the standings. By July 23rd they were in fifth place, 13 games out of first.
Davis was the first Red to hit for the cycle since Frank Robinson on May 2, 1959.
Reds who have hit for the cycle:
Eric Davis, June 2, 1989
Frank Robinson, May 2, 1959
Harry Craft, June 8, 1940
Heinie Groh, July 5, 1915
Mike Mitchell, August 11, 1911
Tom Parrott, September 28, 1894
Long John Reilly, August 6, 1890
Bid McPhee, August 26, 1887
Long John Reilly, September 12, 1883
(info from “Day by Day in Cincinnati Reds History” by Floyd Conner and John Snyder and “Redleg Journal” by Greg Rhodes and John Snyder).
Of the Reds who have hit for the cycle:
Four were outfielders (Davis, Robinson, Craft, and Mitchell)
One played 1b (Reilly)
One played 2b (McPhee)
One played 3b (Groh)
One was primarily a pitcher (Parrott). Parrott did play outfield on occasion.