Rosario completes Patriots' first affiliated cycle

The Yankees-Red Sox rivalry extends to the Minors, and having played for both organizations, Jeisson Rosario was the ideal player to spice things up.

Facing his former team, the Yankees outfield prospect hit for the cycle during Double-A Somerset's 12-11 loss to Portland on Sunday afternoon at Hadlock Field. It was the first cycle by a Patriots player since the club became a Minor League affiliate last season.

Rosario's milestone was a fitting exclamation point to a wild back-and-forth game that wasn't decided until the bottom of the ninth inning. The 22-year-old got the long ball portion out of the way in his first at-bat, slugging his first home run since June 23 to right-center field to give Somerset a 2-0 lead in the opening frame. He singled to right in the fourth, drove home two more runs with his fourth triple -- again to right -- in the fifth and completed the cycle with a double to center in the seventh.

Rosario's cycle was the 12th in the Minors this season and the second of the day. Minnesota's No. 24 prospect Christian Encarnacion-Strand achieved the feat with Double-A Wichita.

WHO CARES ABOUT THE FINAL SCORE ROSIE HIT FOR THE CYCLE😵‍💫 pic.twitter.com/MYFyF8ZsQ4

— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) July 17, 2022

The four hits and four RBIs equaled personal bests for Rosario, who was originally signed by the Padres in 2016. The Dominican Republic native was traded to the Red Sox in 2020 in a four-player deal that sent Mitch Moreland west. He spent all of last season with Portland, where he batted .232 with a .642 OPS in 98 games. The Red Sox waived Rosario after signing Trevor Story in late March and the Yankees wasted no time claiming him three days later on March 26.

The 6-foot-1, 191-pound outfielder has posted similar numbers through his first 69 games with Somerset, batting .242/.366/.388 with 21 extra-base hits, 31 runs and 26 RBIs.