Yesterday, the Diamondbacks (March 28) made a bit of Opening Day history.\u00a0 In their opener against the Rockies, the Diamondbacks scored 14 runs in the third inning \u2013 a modern era (post-1900) single-inning Opening Day record \u2013 and they did it without the benefit of a home run.\u00a0 That inning took me back in time to another even more unique frame \u2013 which took place on April 22, 1959, when the White Sox plated 11 runs in an inning, while logging just one hit.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s look at both innings.<\/p>\n
In yesterday\u2019s 14-run third, the Diamondbacks sent 18 batters to the plate \u2013 collecting ten singles, three doubles and two walks. \u00a0In the inning:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Five of the nine players in the starting lineup collected two hits;<\/li>\n
- Corbin Carroll walked twice;<\/li>\n
- Eight of the nine collected at least one RBI;<\/li>\n
- Eight of the nine scored at least one run, with six scoring twice;<\/li>\n
- The Diamondbacks had two streaks within the inning when seven consecutive batters reached base;<\/li>\n
- Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Gabriel Moreno each has three RBI.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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<\/a><\/p>\nIt went like this:<\/p>\n
- \n
- SS Geraldo Perdomo<\/strong>, the number-nine hitter singled off Kyle Freeland<\/strong>;<\/li>\n
- 2B Ketel Marte<\/strong> singled;<\/li>\n
- RF Corbin Carroll<\/strong> walked, loading the bases;<\/li>\n
- LF Lourdes Gurriel<\/strong>, Jr. hit an RBI single;<\/li>\n
- 1B Christian Walker<\/strong> hit a two-run double;<\/li>\n
- C Gabriel Moreno<\/strong> hit an RBI single;<\/li>\n
- 3B Eugenio Suarez<\/strong> hit an RBI single;<\/li>\n
- DH Blaze Alexander<\/strong> flied out to RF;<\/li>\n
- CF Alek Thomas<\/strong> hit an RBI double;<\/li>\n
- Anthony Molina<\/em><\/strong> relieved Freeland<\/em>;<\/li>\n
- Perdomo hit an RBI single;<\/li>\n
- Marte hit an RBI single;<\/li>\n
- Carroll drew his second walk, again loading the bases;<\/li>\n
- Gurriel hit a two-run single;<\/li>\n
- Walker singled, loading the bases.<\/li>\n
- Moreno hit a two-run double;<\/li>\n
- Suarez drove in a run with a sac fly;<\/li>\n
- Alexander hit an RBI single;<\/li>\n
- Jalen Beeks<\/em><\/strong> replaced Molina on the mound.<\/em><\/li>\n
- Thomas grounded out pitcher to first.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baseballroundtable.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/Fox-300x212.jpg\")
<\/a>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.<\/p><\/div>\n
Now for that 1959 game. On April 22, 1959 \u2013 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 \u201cnumbers\u201d from that 11-run inning:<\/p>\n
- \n
- The Sox sent 17 batters to the plate, but collected just one hit;<\/li>\n
- Sox\u2019 hitters stepped into the box with runners in scoring position 14 times;<\/li>\n
- Sox hitters batted with the bases loaded 12 times and never got the ball past the pitcher;<\/li>\n
- Eight different White Sox\u2019 players drew walks;<\/li>\n
- The Sox drew eight bases-loaded walks (and had one bases-loaded hit batsman);<\/li>\n
- White Sox\u2019 2B Nellie Fox walked twice with the bases loaded in the inning.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Here\u2019s how it went that inning (per baseball-reference.com):<\/p>\n
- \n
- 1B Ray Boone<\/strong> was safe on a throwing error by A\u2019s shortstop Joe DeMaestri;<\/li>\n
- RF Al Smith<\/strong> attempted to sacrifice Boone to second (score was 8-6 at the time) and reached on an error by A\u2019s third baseman Hal Smith<\/strong>;<\/li>\n
- LF Johnny Callison<\/strong> singled to right. Scoring Boone and Smith (with the help of an error by A\u2019s right fielder Roger Maris<\/strong>). Callison ended up on third;<\/li>\n
- SS Louis Aparicio<\/strong> walked \u2013 then stole second (runners now on second and third);<\/li>\n
- P Bob Shaw <\/strong>walked (loading the bases);<\/li>\n
- PH Earl Torgeson<\/strong> (batting for 3B Sammy Esposito<\/strong>) walked (scoring Callison);<\/li>\n
- 2B Nellie Fox<\/strong> walked (scoring Aparicio);<\/li>\n
- CF Jim Landis<\/strong> reached on fielder\u2019s choice \u2013 grounding back to pitcher Mark Freeman<\/strong>, who took the force at home (bases still loaded);<\/li>\n
- C Sherman Lollar<\/strong> walked (scoring Torgeson, bases still loaded);<\/li>\n
- Boone made his second plate appearance of the inning and walked (scoring Fox).<\/li>\n
- Smith made his second plate appearance of the inning and walked (scoring Landis);<\/li>\n
- 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<\/strong> came in to run for Callison;<\/li>\n
- Aparicio drew his second walk of the inning (scoring Boone, bases still loaded);<\/li>\n
- Shaw struck out.<\/li>\n
- PH Bubba Phillips<\/strong> (batting for Torgeson, who batted for Esposito earlier in the inning) walked (scoring Smith, bases still full);<\/li>\n
- Fox drew his second bases loaded walk of the inning (scoring Skizas);<\/li>\n
- Landis grounded out pitcher to first to end the inning.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The 20-runs the White Sox scored that day were the most they plated in any game that season.\u00a0 Another side note: It did not start out like it was going to be a good day for the White Sox.\u00a0 The A\u2019s knocked Chicago\u2019s starting pitcher Early Wynn \u2013 who would go on to lead the AL in wins with 22 \u2013 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:<\/p>\n
- \n
- The Sox collected a total of 16 hits and 13 walks in the contest; which also saw four Kansas City errors.<\/li>\n
- In addition, to scoring 20 times, Chicago left eleven runners on base.<\/li>\n
- Nellie Fox was the offensive star of the game \u2013 with four hits (five at bats), two walks and five RBI.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The A\u2019s used six pitchers in the contest, three in the seventh inning.<\/p>\n
The 1959 AL pennant-winning White Sox went on to become known as the \u201cGo-Go Sox\u201d for their ability to manufacture runs despite a punchless offense. (The Sox finished last in the league in home runs and sixth \u2013 out of the eight AL teams \u2013 in batting average and runs scored, but first in stolen bases and second in walks).<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
This One Had a Homer<\/em><\/p>\n
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.\u00a0 That inning featured 18 Chicago base hits (six doubles, one triple, one home run, ten singles and two Detroit errors. ).\u00a0 Those 18 hits are also an MLB single-inning record, as are the 29 total bases. Three players logged a record\u00a0 (tied, but never broken) three\u00a0 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.\u00a0 Six players had two hits in the inning.<\/em><\/p>\n
Primary Resources:<\/em>\u00a0 Baseball-Reference.com; Baseball’s Biggest Inning<\/em>, by Art Ahrens, 1977 Baseball Research Journal (Society for American Baseball Research).<\/p>\n
COMING SOON – A DEEP DIVE INTO PITCHERS WITH MULTI-HR GAMES (as hitters).<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n
Baseball Roundtable – Blogging Baseball Since 2012.<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n
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- RF Al Smith<\/strong> attempted to sacrifice Boone to second (score was 8-6 at the time) and reached on an error by A\u2019s third baseman Hal Smith<\/strong>;<\/li>\n
- 1B Ray Boone<\/strong> was safe on a throwing error by A\u2019s shortstop Joe DeMaestri;<\/li>\n
- 2B Ketel Marte<\/strong> singled;<\/li>\n
- SS Geraldo Perdomo<\/strong>, the number-nine hitter singled off Kyle Freeland<\/strong>;<\/li>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baseballroundtable.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/3RBI.jpg\")
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