WATCH: Braves record EXTRAORDINARY triple play against Red Sox in 7-1 loss
The game between the Boston Red Sox and Atlanta Braves on Tuesday produced one of the rarest fielding efforts in the form of a 8-3-5 triple play in the third inning.
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Masataka Yoshida of Red Sox after getting tagged out for triple play (Pic Credit: Sporting News)
The sport of baseball has been largely dominated by the ability of players’ hitting prowess. The sight of watching a batter rake the ball out in the crowd usually brings loud cheers. In some instances, though, the fielding aspect of the game takes all the headlines. A similar story was recorded on Tuesday when the Atlanta Braves recorded a rare and extraordinary triple play against the Boston Red Sox.
Double plays are something pretty common. However, a triple play is extremely rare. In its 100-plus years of history, the MLB has only seen a total of 734 triple plays. As the name suggests, a triple play means managing all three outs in the same play. The Braves not only recorded this incredible feat, but they also did it in style.
To make a triple play possible, there should be at least two base runners with no outs. The incident at Fenway Park took place in the third inning as Masataka Yoshida and Adam Duvall both reached base. Triston Casas‘ fly ball was well fielded by Michael Harris II. What followed next was probably some poor base running as the Red Sox turned a routine flyout into a huge moment.
Harris II would send the throw back to first. This led to Duvall run back to first as he had already taken off. The former Braves man was unable to reach the base and was tagged out. Yoshida, on the other side, was also caught up and was tagged out third. This led to the inning-ending in one pitch.
Red Sox bounce back from horror fielding moment to win
Usually, in games, when something drastic like this happens, the momentum shifts away. The triple play occurred with the Red Sox leading 2-1 in the third. It just was not some regular triple play, it was an 8-3-5 triple play. This was the first time since 1884 that an 8-3-5 triple play was recorded in an MLB game. The time gap between these two incidents is roughly 139 years ago.
The above stat proves how extraordinarily rare that feat was. However, the Red Sox did not let this moment haunt them for too long. Going up against the best team in baseball this year, they had to be at their best, and this moment certainly was not it. Braves’ ace pitcher Charlie Morton was seen struggling at the plate. He gave four runs through six hits and walked five batters.
Mastaka Yoshida’s home run in the eighth inning capped off a fine performance from the Red Sox. An outing like this against the current league leaders would give them a much-needed confidence boost as the Boston side continues to struggle in the AL East division race. They are now one game ahead of their rivals, the NY Yankees from the last place.
In case you missed it:
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Vinay Dave
(1742 Articles Published)