On July 21, 1975, Mets’ infielders Felix Millan (2B) and Joe Torre (1B) became a record-setting double play combination – but that was not necessarily a good thing.
In 6-2 loss to the Astros in New York, Millan went four-for-four (four singles) and each time was forced at second base, as Torre grounded into four double plays in his four plate appearances. Plenty of unicorns here. By grounding into four twin killings, Torre became the first (and still only) National League player to ground into four double plays in a game. (The only other MLB player to “accomplish” this feat is Tigers’ LF Goose Goslin, who grounded not four twin killings as the Tigers topped the Indians 4-1 on April 28, 1934.) The Millan/Torre combination also became the first (and still only) MLB combo to be partners on wrong end of a double play four times in a game. Further, Astros’ starter Ken Frosch, who went the distance (11 hits, two runs, one walk, two strikeouts) became the first (and still only) pitcher to induce the same batter to hit into four double plays in a game. That day, by the way, Millan was batting second and playing second base for the Mets, while Torre was batting third and playing third base (nice symmetry there). Side note: Some of this could possibly change as Negro League game stats from 1920-48 are further documented and incorporated into the MLB record book.
Here’s the Millan/Torre story:
- In the bottom of the first, already trailing 2-0, Millan singled with one out. Torre followed by hitting into an inning-ending double play – Forsch to second baseman Larry Milbourne to first baseman Bob Watson.
- In the third frame, with the Mets down 5-1, Millan singled with one out and one on. Torre followed by grounding into an inning-ending shortstop Roger Metzger to Milbourne to Watson DP.
- In the sixth frame, Millan led off with his third one-bagger of the day. This time, Torre hit into a Melbourne to Metzger to Watson twin killing.
- In the seventh, Millan punched another single (with one man on). Torre followed by grounding into a Metzger to Milbourne to Watson double play.
Double Whammy
Nice coincidence. Torre and Millan each had a consecutive double consonant in their last names. In the game, seven players with a double consonant in their last name (Torre, Millan, Greg Gross, Enos Cabell, Mike Phillips, Hank Webb and Jack Heidemann) took the field. Also in the game was the double-voweled Ed Kranepoole. Honorable mentions go out to first name, double-consonant players that game (Cliff Johnson, Larry Milbourne and Jerry Grote).
That season, Torre grounded into 22 double plays – second most in the NL. During his 18-year MLB playing career, Torre led the NL in GIDP three times. His final stat line was .297-252-1,185 in 2,209 games.
A few double- play tidbits.
- Albert Pujols holds the career record for GIDP at 426 (Over 22 seasons (He led the league in GIDP four times.)
- Miguel Tejada led the league in GIDP he most times in MLB history (five – 2004-06, Orioles and 2008-09, Astros).
- Jim Rice holds the record for most GIDP in a season at 36 (1984 Red Sox).
As always, when Baseball Roundtable begin looking a topic “one thing seemed to lead to another.” This led me to the MLB career of Ron Wright.
RON WRIGHT. Three at bats – six outs – and done
Attitude is everything – and we could all learn a lot from Ron Wright, a one-time MLB prospect who calls his one-game major-league career “the best day of my professional life,” despite the fact that he missed, hit and ran his way into six outs in only three at bats (and a total of nine pitches). Starting his first – and only – game after being called up in April 2002 by the Mariners, Wright began his MLB career by striking out with two on in the second inning – and it was all downhill from there. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
Wright’s day went like this:
Second Inning: With Ruben Sierra on second and John Olerud on first, Wright – who started at DH, batting seventh – took a called third strike (on an 0-2 pitch) from Rangers’ starter Kenny Rogers.
Fourth Inning: With Sierra on third and Olerud on first, Wright hit a grounder to Rogers (on a 2-2 pitch), who threw to SS Alex Rodriguez at second for the force. Sierra, who had broken for home, was caught in a SS-C-3B-P rundown for a second out, and Wright who tried to take second during the run down was thrown out P-2B. An unusual triple play.
Sixth inning: Again up with both Sierra and Olerud on base (second and first, respectively), Wright hit the first offering from Rogers into a more traditional short-to-second-to first double play.
Seventh Inning: Up again with Sierra and Olerud on base (first and third) with one out, Mike McLemore pinch hit for Wright (ending Wright’s MLB stat line). McLemore, by the way, struck out.
The Mariners trailing 5-1 after six frames, came back to win the game 9-7.
RON WRIGHT HITS/RUNS INTO A TRIPLE PLAY
Wright went back down to the minors before getting another MLB at bat and never made it back. (He did hit .273 with 15 HRs for Tacoma in 2002). So, his major-league career consisted of three at bats, nine pitches and six outs – strikeout, triple play, double play. For The Roundtable, the key words are major-league. Ron Wright made it to The Show.
Primary Resources: Baseball-Refernces.com; Baseball-Almanac.com; MLB.com
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.
P1026
