CINCINNATI -- Christian Yelich bolted out of the box, sprinting around the bases and cruising into third standing up for his first triple of the season.
A very well-timed triple, too.
The Milwaukee Brewers star hit for a record-tying third cycle -- amazingly, all of them against Cincinnati. Yelich accomplished the feat Wednesday in a 14-11 loss to the Reds.
"I'd definitely rather win the game," Yelich said. "Weird things happen in baseball. Any time you can hit for a cycle, it's pretty cool. I will try to enjoy it as much as possible."
Yelich tripled during a six-run ninth inning rally. His teammates were well aware of the significance, and they stood on the top row of the dugout to applaud him.
Yelich became the sixth player in major league history to hit at least one home run, triple, double and single in the same game three times. He joined Trea Turner, Adrian Beltre, Babe Herman, Bob Meusel and John Reilly in accomplishing the feat.
Earlier, Yelich doubled in the first, hit a three-run home run in the third and singled in the fifth.
Late in the 2018 season, Yelich hit for the cycle twice in a span of three weeks against the Reds.
"A lot of things kind of have to happen to hit the cycle," the former National League MVP said. "It is hard enough to get four hits in a major league game and to have the right kind, there's an element of luck. It is still pretty cool."
Tyler Stephenson drove in four runs with a pair of doubles and Colin Moran hit a three-run home run for Cincinnati. The Reds, with the worst record in the majors, won their second consecutive series by topping the NL Central leaders.
"All these teams in the league are good -- you have to keep playing, you have to keep going," Reds Manager David Bell said. "Great day offensively. Not only the hits and the RBI, but just grinding out at-bats, controlling the strike zone, getting guys in base. That created the opportunities."
CUBS 7, PADRES 5 Alfonso Rivas hit a tiebreaking two-run single against his hometown team in the eighth inning, leading Chicago over San Diego.
GIANTS 7, ROCKIES 1 Brandon Crawford homered, and San Francisco earned its 10th consecutive win over Colorado.
MARLINS 11, DIAMONDBACKS 3 Jacob Stallings hit a go-ahead single during Miami's eight-run ninth inning, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. followed with a three-run home run in a victory over Arizona.
NATIONALS 8, METS 3 Juan Soto and Nelson Cruz homered as Washington sent New York right-hander Tylor Megill (4-2) to the earliest exit of his career.
PIRATES 5, DODGERS 3 Daniel Vogelbach hit a go-ahead home run in the seventh inning, and Pittsburgh took a series from Los Angeles for the first time in nearly five years.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
ATHLETICS 9, TIGERS 0 Zach Logue pitched seven sharp innings in his second major league start and Oakland spoiled the debut of Joey Wentz (0-1) by thumping Detroit.
RAYS 4, ANGELS 2 (10) Vidal Brujan got an RBI double leading off the 10th inning for his first hit of the season, and Tampa Bay rebounded from its no-hit loss with a victory over Los Angeles.
ROYALS 8, RANGERS 2 Emmanuel Rivera hit a pinch-hit, bases-loaded triple and Whit Merifield homered and scored four runs as Kansas City defeated Texas.
YANKEES 5, BLUE JAYS 3 Gleyber Torres homered and drove in five runs, and New York beat Toronto for its 15th win in 17 games.
INTERLEAGUE
BRAVES 5, RED SOX 3 Orlando Arcia hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to give Atlanta a win over Boston.
CARDINALS 10, ORIOLES 1 Juan Yepez homered and Miles Mikolas pitched seven strong innings, leading St. Louis to a win over Baltimore.
PHILLIES 4, MARINERS 2 Rhys Hoskins homered for the third consecutive game and provided all of Philadelphia's offense with his second career grand slam in a victory over Seattle.
Wednesday’s games
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Pittsburgh 5, LA Dodgers 3
Cincinnati 14, Milwaukee 11
Miami 11, Arizona 3
San Francisco 7, Colorado 1
Chicago Cubs 7, San Diego 5
Washington 8, NY Mets 3
AMERICAN LEAGUE
NY Yankees 5, Toronto 3
Oakland 9, Detroit 0
Tampa Bay 4, LA Angels 2 (10)
Kansas City 8, Texas 2
Cleveland at Chicago White Sox, ppd.
Houston at Minnesota, susp.
INTERLEAGUE
Philadelphia 4, Seattle 2
Atlanta 5, Boston 3
St. Louis 10, Baltimore 1