By Dave Matlow
UPDATE Melky Cabrera today became the 15th New York Yankee to hit for the cycle and the first since 1995, a rare feat that won a 2009 Lexus for a Westport woman.
Jean Murdoch stands in the driveway of her Sniffen Road home today that she hopes will soon be occupied by a new Lexus. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
A surprised Jean Murdoch said she only vaguely remembered entering the Yankees’ “Hit for the Cycle” contest on WCBS Radio.
Soon after Cabrerra legged out a ninth-inning triple to complete the accomplishment at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago, Yankee broadcasters John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman announced that the Westport woman had won the “Hit for the Cycle” contest.
Murdoch, a Sniffen Road resident, was watching the game on television and was not aware of her Yankee luck on the radio broadcast until notified by WestportNow. A WCBS Radio representative later confirmed she was the winner.
“It’s bizarre—I still don’t know what is going to happen,” said Murdoch, a graphics designer who is an avid Yankee fan. She said she thought the WestportNow call was a joke.
“When it’s in my driveway, I’ll believe it,” she said.
Added husband, Dan, “We need to read the fine print.”
Waldman said on the air that the broadcasters were so used to throwing out the names of unsuccessful entrants chosen at random in the daily game contest that in their excitement they almost forgot to announce that Cabrera’s feat had produced a winner.
She then said, “It’s Jean Murdoch of Westport, Connecticut.”
For non-baseball fans, hitting for the cycle means a player hit a single, double, a triple, and a home run during a game. It is about as rare as a no-hitter and has been particularly elusive for Yankee hitters.
According to WCBS Radio rules posted on its Web site, the winner of the “hit for the cycle” contest wins a 2009 Lexus from Lexus of Englewood, N.J., valued up to $30,000. The winner is responsible for any taxes.
Murdoch, who also follows NASCAR, golf and is big on the UConn Women’s basketball team, said she read on the Web site that any winner will be notified the next day.
Cabrera belted a three-run homer in his first at-bat off White Sox starter Mark Buehrle in the second inning, then led off the fourth inning with a double to right field.
Cabrera’s run-scoring single to center field in the fifth inning chased Buehrle.
After grounding out in the sixth, Cabrera laced a line drive that sailed over the head of Jermaine Dye in right field, bouncing up against the fence as Cabrera beat the throw into third base with a slide. The Yankees won the game 8-5.
Logging just his second career four-hit game, Cabrera became the first Yankees player to hit for the cycle since Tony Fernandez on Sept. 3, 1995, against Oakland.
The last three to do it before Fernandez were all predecessors of Cabrera as the Yankees’ center fielder: Bobby Murcer, Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio.
Here are the Yankees who achieved hitting for the cycle before Cabrera:
Tony Fernandez, 09-03-1995
Bobby Murcer, 08-29-1972
Mickey Mantle, 07-23-1957
Joe DiMaggio, 05-20-1948
Joe Gordon, 09-08-1940
Buddy Rosar, 07-19-1940
Lou Gehrig, 08-01-1937
Joe DiMaggio, 07-09-1937
Lou Gehrig, 06-25-1934
Tony Lazzeri, 06-03-1932
Bob Meusel, 07-26-1928
Bob Meusel, 07-03-1922
Bob Meusel, 05-07-1921
Bert Daniels, 07-25-1912
