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Chasers' Cain hits for the cycle

Slumping Royals farmhand plates career-high seven runs
May 15, 2011
It's not quite two birds with one swing, but it'll do for Lorenzo Cain.

Cain hit for the cycle and drove in a career-high seven runs Saturday as the Omaha Storm Chasers outslugged the Colorado Springs Sky Sox, 16-11.

One of the players the Royals acquired in the Zack Greinke trade last December, Cain equaled his previous personal best for RBIs with a first-inning grand slam. He led off the third with a double and singled home Johnny Giavotella in the fourth to extend Omaha's cushion to 10-6.

The Sky Sox rallied for five runs in the fifth and an 11-10 lead, but Cain delivered a two-run triple in the sixth to put the Storm Chasers in front for good.

"I can't really point one thing out," Cain said. "I feel like we had a long day traveling today. I just tried to put together consistent at-bats and I was able to put a good swing on the ball today."

It was the second cycle in five days in the Pacific Coast League and Omaha's first since Scott Thorman did it last Aug. 29 in an 8-7 loss to Iowa.

"Yeah, I was definitely aware," Cain admitted. "I always try to square it up, regardless, and I got it up over the center fielder's head, so it worked out perfect. I was just trying to put something in the gap and use my legs.

"I'm very pumped about it. I've always wanted to hit a grand slam and hit for the cycle, and it came in the same game. It's a very special moment for me, so I'm very excited to get that done tonight. I had a few text messages from my mom and my girlfriend, and they were definitely excited for me."

Cain, in his seventh season, said only one game can compare to Saturday's. He delivered an RBI single in the 11th inning for the Brewers on Aug. 28 to beat the Pirates.

"The only thing that comes close is my walk-off hit in the big leagues last year," Cain said. "That was a very special moment for me. That's the only thing that comes close for me."

Cain had been stuck in a slump, going 3-for-19 in his previous five games. The 25-year-old center fielder doubled his season's RBI total and went 4-for-5 to raise his average 25 points to .308.

"I just tried to focus a little more," Cain said. "Last series, I swung at a lot of bad pitches; that was the bad part of the slump. I just tried to lay off pitches today."

After six seasons in the Milwaukee organization, Cain was traded with shortstop Alcides Escobar and pitchers Jeremy Jeffress and Jake Odorizzi for Greinke. While grateful to the Brewers, he's happy to be with the Royals.

"It's definitely different," Cain said. "You just have to make adjustments. Change happens sometimes and you just have to deal with it. We have a lot of good guys here, a lot of young talent and we're all striving to do our best and make it to the big leagues."

Giavotella and Lance Zawadski could have made it a truly historic night for Omaha. Giavotella scored four times, drove in three runs and fell a triple shy of the cycle. Zawadzki needed only a double and finished with four RBIs.

Robert Emrich is a contributor to MLB.com.