Oh yes, one thing leads to another – again.
Yesterday, the Diamondbacks (March 28) made a bit of Opening Day history. In their opener against the Rockies, the Diamondbacks scored 14 runs in the third inning – a modern era (post-1900) single-inning Opening Day record – and they did it without the benefit of a home run. That inning took me back in time to another even more unique frame – which took place on April 22, 1959, when the White Sox plated 11 runs in an inning, while logging just one hit.
Let’s look at both innings.
In yesterday’s 14-run third, the Diamondbacks sent 18 batters to the plate – collecting ten singles, three doubles and two walks. In the inning:
- Five of the nine players in the starting lineup collected two hits;
- Corbin Carroll walked twice;
- Eight of the nine collected at least one RBI;
- Eight of the nine scored at least one run, with six scoring twice;
- The Diamondbacks had two streaks within the inning when seven consecutive batters reached base;
- Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Gabriel Moreno each has three RBI.
It went like this:
- SS Geraldo Perdomo, the number-nine hitter singled off Kyle Freeland;
- 2B Ketel Marte singled;
- RF Corbin Carroll walked, loading the bases;
- LF Lourdes Gurriel, Jr. hit an RBI single;
- 1B Christian Walker hit a two-run double;
- C Gabriel Moreno hit an RBI single;
- 3B Eugenio Suarez hit an RBI single;
- DH Blaze Alexander flied out to RF;
- CF Alek Thomas hit an RBI double;
- Anthony Molina relieved Freeland;
- Perdomo hit an RBI single;
- Marte hit an RBI single;
- Carroll drew his second walk, again loading the bases;
- Gurriel hit a two-run single;
- Walker singled, loading the bases.
- Moreno hit a two-run double;
- Suarez drove in a run with a sac fly;
- Alexander hit an RBI single;
- Jalen Beeks replaced Molina on the mound.
- Thomas grounded out pitcher to first.
The Diamondbacks came into the inning with a 2-0 lead and did not score after the 14-run third – coming away with a 16-1 win. (From the time that Beeks took the mound for the Rockies, the Rox bullpen held the Diamondbacks to two hits over 5 1/3 innings, with seven strikeouts.
__________________________________________
Nellie Fox drew two bases-loaded walks in the seventh inning of the White Sox 20-6 win. For the game. Fox was four-for-five, with a double, two walks ,a run scored and five RBI.
Now for that 1959 game. On April 22, 1959 – in a 20-6 win over the Kansas City Athletics (in Kansas City), the White Sox scored 11 runs in the seventh inning on just one hit (a single). Here are few “numbers” from that 11-run inning:
- The Sox sent 17 batters to the plate, but collected just one hit;
- Sox’ hitters stepped into the box with runners in scoring position 14 times;
- Sox hitters batted with the bases loaded 12 times and never got the ball past the pitcher;
- Eight different White Sox’ players drew walks;
- The Sox drew eight bases-loaded walks (and had one bases-loaded hit batsman);
- White Sox’ 2B Nellie Fox walked twice with the bases loaded in the inning.
Here’s how it went that inning (per baseball-reference.com):
- 1B Ray Boone was safe on a throwing error by A’s shortstop Joe DeMaestri;
- RF Al Smith attempted to sacrifice Boone to second (score was 8-6 at the time) and reached on an error by A’s third baseman Hal Smith;
- LF Johnny Callison singled to right. Scoring Boone and Smith (with the help of an error by A’s right fielder Roger Maris). Callison ended up on third;
- SS Louis Aparicio walked – then stole second (runners now on second and third);
- P Bob Shaw walked (loading the bases);
- PH Earl Torgeson (batting for 3B Sammy Esposito) walked (scoring Callison);
- 2B Nellie Fox walked (scoring Aparicio);
- CF Jim Landis reached on fielder’s choice – grounding back to pitcher Mark Freeman, who took the force at home (bases still loaded);
- C Sherman Lollar walked (scoring Torgeson, bases still loaded);
- Boone made his second plate appearance of the inning and walked (scoring Fox).
- Smith made his second plate appearance of the inning and walked (scoring Landis);
- Callison, who had the only hit of the inning in his first plate appearance, was hit by a pitch (scoring Lollar, bases still loaded). Lou Skizas came in to run for Callison;
- Aparicio drew his second walk of the inning (scoring Boone, bases still loaded);
- Shaw struck out.
- PH Bubba Phillips (batting for Torgeson, who batted for Esposito earlier in the inning) walked (scoring Smith, bases still full);
- Fox drew his second bases loaded walk of the inning (scoring Skizas);
- Landis grounded out pitcher to first to end the inning.
The 20-runs the White Sox scored that day were the most they plated in any game that season. Another side note: It did not start out like it was going to be a good day for the White Sox. The A’s knocked Chicago’s starting pitcher Early Wynn – who would go on to lead the AL in wins with 22 – out of the game with six runs on six hits and two walks in the first 1 2/3 innings. The Sox actually trailed 6-1 after two frames. A few other stats:
- The Sox collected a total of 16 hits and 13 walks in the contest; which also saw four Kansas City errors.
- In addition, to scoring 20 times, Chicago left eleven runners on base.
- Nellie Fox was the offensive star of the game – with four hits (five at bats), two walks and five RBI.
The A’s used six pitchers in the contest, three in the seventh inning.
The 1959 AL pennant-winning White Sox went on to become known as the “Go-Go Sox” for their ability to manufacture runs despite a punchless offense. (The Sox finished last in the league in home runs and sixth – out of the eight AL teams – in batting average and runs scored, but first in stolen bases and second in walks).
This One Had a Homer
For those that like to know such things, the most runs tallied in any MLB inning is 18, by the National League Chicago White Stockings (Cubs) in a 26-6 win over the Detroit Wolverines on September 6, 1883. That inning featured 18 Chicago base hits (six doubles, one triple, one home run, ten singles and two Detroit errors. ). Those 18 hits are also an MLB single-inning record, as are the 29 total bases. Three players logged a record (tied, but never broken) three hits in the inning (3B Ed Williamson, SS Tom Burns and 2B Fred Pfeffer). Tom Burns’ two doubles and a home run set the mark for extra-base hits in an inning. Burns and Williamson set the mark (since tied) for runs scored in an inning with three. Six players had two hits in the inning.
Primary Resources: Baseball-Reference.com; Baseball’s Biggest Inning, by Art Ahrens, 1977 Baseball Research Journal (Society for American Baseball Research).
COMING SOON – A DEEP DIVE INTO PITCHERS WITH MULTI-HR GAMES (as hitters).
Baseball Roundtable – Blogging Baseball Since 2012.
Baseball Roundtable is on the Feedspot list of the Top 100 Baseball Blogs. To see the full list, click here.
Baseball Roundtable is also on the Anytime Baseball Supply Top 66 Baseball Sites list. For the full list, click here.
I tweet (on X) baseball @DavidBaseballRT
Follow Baseball Roundtable’s Facebook Page here. More baseball commentary; blog post notifications.
Member: Society for American Baseball Research (SABR); Negro Leagues Baseball Museum; The Baseball Reliquary.
P1028
