Bengie Molina made baseball history on Friday in just his ninth game wearing a Texas Rangers uniform since being traded away from San Francisco last month. Molina hit for the cycle in an 8-4 Rangers win over the Boston Red Sox and became just the eighth player – and first catcher – in major league history to do so with a grand slam as part of his box score. With all of the good things that can already said about him, it’s hard to believe that his Friday night feat didn’t win over the Ranger fans.

Amazingly, Molina is regarded as one of the slower players in the majors, but he didn’t let that slow him down (pardon the pun) as he made mincemeat out of the Boston pitchers en route to history. He did have some help from the Red Sox outfielders (and the scorekeeper) as two of his hits, and the gigantic center field of Fenway Park played a role too, but Molina’s hustle and determination more than made up for an overall lack of speed. It was a night to remember for stocky guys everywhere.
If you were asked before Friday whom you thought would hit for the cycle that day, would Molina have been in your top five list? Top 50? Top 500? Let’s face it; you probably would have said it most likely that Molina would get hurt and the Rangers would have to call up Jarrod Saltalamacchia from Oklahoma City and he would end up hitting for the cycle. Other than that, Molina would not have even crossed your mind.

Still, Molina was the one who went four-for-four with a second-inning single; fourth-inning double; fifth-inning grand slam; and eighth-inning triple to cap off his night before being lifted for a pinch-runner. The Molina’s are known for being in frequent contact with each other – and their mother – although usually their conversations do not turn to baseball, but you can bet that brothers Yadier and Jose – and their mother – will certainly have a few questions about Bengie’s big day.