Bob CollinsA triple play is one of the more rare events in baseball and a triple play in which a run scores must surely be among the most impossible feats.
Last night, however, Todd Frazier of the dastardly New York Yankees accomplished it.
Bases loaded, nobody out, bottom of the second inning.
Frazier hit a ball to Cincinnati Reds shortstop Jose Peraza, who looked like he might catch it so Didi Gregorius, the runner on second, had to race back to second base to avoid the double play.
But Peraza didn’t catch it, obligating Gregorius to run. Peraza stepped on second to force the runner from first. One out. He threw to first to get Frazier. Two out.
And then Gregorius, who hadn’t reached third, got caught in a rundown before being tagged out. Three out. Slick, eh?
But Matt Holliday was able to score from third before Gregorius was tagged out, so the run counted.
Unusual, for sure. It hasn’t been done since Saturday, May 27, 2006. Location? The Metrodome. Twins vs. Mariners.
With the bases loaded, nobody out, in the top of the eighth inning for the Seattle Mariners and the Twins leading 8-to-4, slow-footed catcher Kenji Johjima hit a ground ball to second baseman Luis Castillo, who stepped on second and threw to first for the double play, Richie Sexson scoring to make it 8-to-5.
But Carl Everett, running from second, took a wide turn at third and Justin Morneau threw to third baseman Tony Batista for the triple play.
It was an efficient job of relief pitching by Juan Rincon, who had just come into the game and needed just one pitch to clean up pitcher Jesse Crain’s mess.
That would be the last triple play for the Twins until — coincidentally — last month.
