What's the best way to hit for the cycle? Just ask Carlos Gonzalez

I turned on MLB Network at the right time last night.

The network, which carries cameras in each ballpark, flipped to the Rockies game at exactly the perfect moment. I watched closely and witnessed history...

In last night's Colorado Rockies vs. Chicago Cubs match-up, Carlos Gonzalez came to the plate to lead-off in the bottom of the 9th inning, game tied 5-5, the pressure building.

But the pressure wasn't just to win the game.

As "CarGo" stepped into the box, he was one hit shy of the cycle. He had singled, doubled, and tripled in three trips to the plate (3-3) but was missing the big one. The big fly.

So yeah, you could say there was just some pressure on the 24 year-old outfielder.

Of course Rockies fans wanted to see Gonzalez hit for the cycle, but fans also wanted to see what was more important, which was winning the game.

Luckily the fans, and myself, got to see both live.

On the first pitch of the 9th inning from Cubs' reliever Sean Marshall, Gonzalez unloaded on a 93 mph hanging inside fastball which shot, like a cannon, into the upper right field deck at Coors Field. The fans went insane. Pandemonium in the Rocky Mountains. Not only had Gonzalez hit for the cycle, but he had won the game, also capping a 4-4 night.

"I put a really good swing on the ball," Gonzalez said. "The pitch helped me. It was 90-something, inside, and I put it right on the barrel."

"That was unbelievable," Gonzalez said. "It was a great feeling. All the crowd screaming, it's a moment you just want to pass out because you don't know what to do. Just try to get with my teammates and celebrate."

"He's a good hitter," Marshall said. "He's locked in right now. He's putting good swings on bad pitches and good swings on good pitches. He's probably the guy in the lineup that we didn't want to beat us. I went in and challenged him and he beat me."

For Gonzalez, he joined the club of four cycles this season, as well as hitting the sixth cycle in Colorado Rockies history. It was his first walk-off home run and his fourth home run in as many games.

Gonzalez, who was acquired by the Oakland Athletics from the Arizona Diamondbacks prior to 2008 in the Dan Haren trade, and was then traded to the Colorado Rockies for Matt Holliday prior to 2009, has blossomed into the player most thought he would become. This season has been a career-year for Gonzalez, as he's hitting .321/.350/.554 with 21 home runs and 68 RBIs in 92 games, a career-high in each category.

"I heard everyone saying I was going to do it," Gonzalez said. "You just believe in yourself. I guess it was meant to be. It was my night, it was the Rockies' night."

You can't do it much better than that. A storybook ending.

So, who are you gonna call when you want to know the best way to hit for the cycle?

CarGo.