The Minnesota Twins are the only team to turn two triple plays in one game – in the fourth and eighth innings of a July 17, 1990 loss (1-0) to the Boston Red Sox.
Yesterday (August 21, 2012), the Oakland As turned a triple play (third to second to first/Josh Donaldson to Adam Rosales to Chris Carter) in a 4-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins at Oakland. It was the Athletics’ first triple play since May 29, 2000, and the third triple play in MLB this season. The Dodgers turned one against the Padres on April 15 andTorontofollowed suit againstKansas Cityon April 20. Here are a few triple play tidbits, you might find interesting.
– There have been a total of 690 triple plays in baseball history (1876-2012).
– Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson holds the record for hitting into the most triple plays (4) in his career.
– NY Mets catcher Joe Pignatano holds the distinction of being the only player to end his career by hitting into a triple play in is last MLB at bat – September 30, 1962 against the Cubs. (Note: In his one-game/three-at-bat career, Ron Wright of the Seattle Mariners came close. Wright stuck out looking in in his first at bat, hit into a triple play in his second, and hit into a double play in his third (and final major league) trip to the plate. You can see BBRT’s post of April 28, 2012, for more details on Wright’s brief career.)
– The Minnesota Twins are the only team to turn 2 triple plays in one game – a 1-0 loss to the Red Sox on July 17, 1990. Both triple plays were of the “natural” around-the-horn variety: Gary Gaetti (3b) to Al Newman (2B) to Kent Hrbek (1b).
– The longest scorebook entry for a triple play goes to the Philadelphia Athletics. In the seventh inning of a May 16, 1913, game against Cleveland they notched a triple play scored (putouts in red): 6-2-5-1-5–4-5-6-5-7 – one of only five MLB instances when the final put out of a triple play was recorded by an outfielder.
– There have been 15 unassisted triple plays in MLB history; 8 by shortstops; 5 by second basemen; 2 by first basemen
– The most likely position player to start a triple play is the shortstop (shortstops have started 149 of the 690 MLB triple plays), followed by: third base (142); second base (135); first base (87); pitcher (74); catcher (33); center field (27); right field (22); left field (21).
