I’ve just finished watching the Daily Rewind for yesterday’s games and they left the best play until last. The D-Rays turned the first ever 2-6-2 triple play in MLB history against the Mariners.
Out 1 – J.P. Howell strikes out Raul Ibanez swinging.
Out 2 – D-Rays catcher Dioner Navarro immediately guns the ball to Ben Zobrist who tags out Adrian Beltre (who was attempting to steal second on the play).
Out 3 – Jose Lopez spotted Beltre was in a run down and tried to sneak his way from third base to home plate. Unfortunately for him Zobrist was alive to the threat and, having quickly tagged Beltre, threw him out at the plate.
This triple play was a credit to some heads-up defense by the D-Rays, and some ill-advised base-running by the Mariners (as evidenced by the faces in the M’s dugout! ). Triple plays are always exciting, but this one was extra special as it was a mixture of the sublime and the ridiculous; genius and madness. It was the second triple play the Mariners have hit into this season; suggesting they are either very unlucky or reckless on the base-pads. I’m going for the latter.
For all the info you could ever wish for about Triple Plays, head over to the Triple Play site by the Society for Baseball Research (SABR).