Aaron Hill Continues Hot-Swinging Ways With Cycle Against Mariners

Aaron Hill made history Monday evening, joining Kelly Johnson, Stephen Drew, Greg Colbrunn and Luis Gonzalez as the only Diamondbacks to ever hit for the cycle in Arizona's 7-1 victory over the Seattle Mariners.

As difficult as this feat may have seemed, this wasn't Hill's first rodeo. He actually hit for the cycle as a junior at LSU against South Carolina on April 5, 2003. But while some might consider the feat to be unforgettable, Hill couldn't recall what it felt like when asked post-game.

"Oh gosh, It's been a few years," Hill said. "I'd have to go back and look at it."

Though you'd never guess it slipped his mind after viewing the way he was swinging the lumber Monday night.

Hill started the evening off with a single in the Diamondbacks' three-run first inning. But following a third inning triple and fifth inning double, the 30-year-old second baseman was overcome with the same surreal feeling he surely felt over nine years ago.

Then, it was just about not getting in his own head.

"You just got to take a deep breath," Hill said. "It's something you can easily get excited about and try to do a little too much."

That must of been one hell of a breath because in the bottom of the seventh, Hill did the unthinkable.

With one out, Hill stroked a solo home run into the left field bleachers to earn the second cycle of the MLB season. Even as he was rounding the bases, it was still hard to comprehend what he just accomplished with one swing of the bat.

"I don't think I've ever tried to hit a home run and actually done it," Hill admitted.

But that's what happens when you're having as dominate of a month as Hill is. After batting a middling .260 in May, Hill is up to .284 thanks to a June that's seen him hit .351 with three homers, nine runs and 10 RBI.

"You go through ups and downs throughout the whole year," Hill said. "You walk out of the clubhouse and you never know if you're going to be 0-for-4 or 4-for-4."

True. But it's probably safe to say that the D-backs realize that they are the owners of the MLB's hottest hitting second baseman even if Hill won't admit it to himself.

"It's just baseball. It's something that you can never get too high or never get too low."