slurmlover
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This was the first unassisted triple play in National League history to end a game and only the second in MLB history to end a game, making it one of the rarest plays in baseball.
Here’s what happened:
With runners on first and second and no outs, the batter hit a line drive to second baseman Eric Bruntlett.
Out 1: Bruntlett caught the line drive in the air, which automatically retired the batter.
Because the ball was caught, both runners were required to return to their original bases before advancing.
Out 2: The runner who started on second base was moving toward third on the hit. Bruntlett stepped on second base before that runner could return, recording the second out.
Out 3: The runner who started on first base was also caught off the bag. Bruntlett tagged him before he could get back to first, completing the third out and ending the game.
welcomestranger
I'm glad that was explained, because I could only see 2 outs.
kingmeatysthegreatthethird
So, baseball, it's just complicated tag?
aPackofBears
Ah the classic 4-4-4 triple play
DancingPanther
Actually it just goes down as 4u or just 4
MetaKoopa99
Poor, poor Jeff Francoeur. At least Jon Bois loves ya.
jimjam12354
HorseHeadMonster
I don't think that is what he said.
JoeHutty
We need more sports on imgur +1
dwalker958429
Thank you for explaining it to me. I do not understand sports of any kind.
slurmlover
No problem
DancingPanther
Remember this like it was yesterday. Went from "the Phils are in prime position to blow this" to "holy shit Bruntlett was useful for once"
jontDoggo
Oh baby a triple!!!
NotThatJoeYouKnow
oh wow I forgot about taging up https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tag_up
NotThatJoeYouKnow
I was sitting at 2 outs and couldn't figure out the 3rd without the explanation
markman2001
it is harder to catch sometimes cuz when i think about tagging up i think about a flyball caught, not a line drive.
BigDaddyHall
Doesn’t the infield fly rule apply here?
slurmlover
No. That rule prevents easy double or triple plays whereby an infielder can just let an easily caught ball drop. Imagine runners on first...
slurmlover
And second. They stay on their bases while the ball is in the air because it is presumed to be caught. Infielder lets ball drop and then...
slurmlover
Throws to third for easy out one. Third baseman throws to second for easy out two. If bases were loaded a triple play is easily possible...
slurmlover
Infield fly rule treats that ball as caught to prevent this.
Nubsyouwont
Thank you so much for the explanation @op
jkeezie
Seriously, without the explanation, I would still be impressed, but not know exactly why
slurmlover
my pleasure
slurmlover
np
KittensGivePaarthurnaxGas
I still have no idea what the hell is going on, but kudos to everyone involved!
RainwormNL
As a newby to the sports i too would like to thank you.
slurmlover
youre welcome
v3rtabreaker
The moment the ball was thrown I knew it was gonna be the Mets having that fucking triple handed to them & their fans having to memorize it.
sahdad
I had never considered that was possible, how 'bout that.
lud1
I understand nothing
DanielMurphyIsGod
I'm a Mets fan, finally my username is relevant!
theinconvenienttruth
Yeah too bad we couldnt keep him
defaultusername123
And then in a shock he whispered to Jimmy Rollins that he was gay for an unprecedented fourth out.
itsjulionotjose
Did they do the Top Gun high five at the end?
slurmlover
they have the need. the need for speed
SatoriEnlightenment
God bless this sport. I'll just get the highlights here on imgur. Thanks.
JCBaggins
That was pretty cool! I don’t even care much for sports, but I can see the awesomeness in that!
KaJuN
TRIPLE KILL
OzMalloy
Actually I'm surprised that situation doesn't happen more often.
slurmlover
It basically always involves the 2nd baseman and a hit and run with runners on first and second. And keep in mind, there need to be 0 outs.
TheGuyThatJustSitsInTheCorner
As someone who dosn't know baseball. Why is the second baseman halfway to 3rd before the ball is thrown?
christ0s
It's was a hit and run : https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hit_and_run_%28baseball%29?wprov=sfla1
slurmlover
Both runners are trying to steal a base. The aim here was to score two runs if a hit was achieved.
Djmachale1
DicksmackMcgee
Mickey Morandini had one and left the ball on the mound. It got tossed into the used balls pile before anyone thought to save it.
slurmlover
This has happened a few times. It’s hard to know it’s significance in the moment.
nonickname23
MadeupnameWrandomnumber22
Peek Lavar Ball in the background
thepatternisfull
It's one of the rarer events in baseball. It's only happened 15 times. It is rarer than a perfect game.
slurmlover
Perfect inning is another interesting and rare stat.
slurmlover
Sorry, "immaculate inning".
DancingPanther
Betances threw one pretty recently didn't he?
slurmlover
Not sure actually.
thepatternisfull
Also rare. I thought I saw Osuna pitch one but was a little drunk at the time...close but not quite.
slurmlover
Right on
MadeupnameWrandomnumber22
As a Phillies fan, Bruntlett was trash and this is the sole highlight from his major league career that, arguably, shouldn’t have occurred
skookysnax
How many unassisted triple plays dos your illustrious baseball career have?
KyleBeach
But that's not how that works. You don't have to be a professional athlete to critique one.
skookysnax
This guy made an amazing play, and this asshole comes here and has to shit on him. Yet, im the bad guy. Got it.
MadeupnameWrandomnumber22
I shit on him, you shit on me, the circle, the circle of poo *queues Mr. Hankey*
skookysnax
Im not shitting on anyone
iliveinyourphone
Damn dude, a wins a win where I’m from. Post was about the play.
christ0s
Bruntlett was a great bench player
abysmalk
how's your professional baseball career going then?
camprspecial
MrPoodle
I'd like to see you doing better than that "trash" player.
MadeupnameWrandomnumber22
Why is this such a common response? I’m a Phillies fan at the core of it I am allowed to be displeased when the team that I support under 1
MadeupnameWrandomnumber22
Performs, or is run in a way that I disagree with, a person can be bad at something without you having to be better. 2/2
Leithoa
Even a broken clock is right twice a day.
Sensiblyinteresting
Not if it's digital
brickerbrickeronenine
“Arguably” what’s the possible argument here? That ball defied all physics and you can prove it and want god to do a do-over?
MadeupnameWrandomnumber22
The “arguably shouldn’t have happened” was in reference to Eric Bruntlett’s MLB career, not the play
brickerbrickeronenine
That was unclear I guess but thanks for the explanation!
slurmlover
I'm a Pittsburgher, so I signed a contract to hate the phillies when I was born, but this play does deserve some credit.
MadeupnameWrandomnumber22
Absolutely, doesn’t make up for hitting sub 230 with one year over 35 hits in a 7 year career, more a complaint about general management tbh
slurmlover
u seem mad.
Poopoopeepeevagina
I’m not a big baseball fan. But this play looks like it was handed to him on platter based on my knowledge of baseball.
ReasonableConservative
The 4 moves to the bag to catch a base stealer with no outs, while a slow liner catches the runner near. Purely accidental. No skill needed.
KimAndersson1987
Honestly didn’t understand a word you said.
MadeupnameWrandomnumber22
But also, he was in the right place at the right time, double steal/hit and run line drive right to him, more IQ than any skill
slurmlover
Even if they weren't stealing it wouldve been a triple play. But agreed there's a lot of luck
ReasonableConservative
Without the steal the runner would not have been close enough to tag.
MadeupnameWrandomnumber22
No way, double maybe, but that was a rope and I don’t think he had the range to make that stop if he was normal depth
slurmlover
It's obviously a double play, as he basically landed on second base. If he was present in the moment he'd throw to first immediately.
ICannotStressThisEnoughBut
I had no idea baseball has a tag-you’re-it rule :D
slurmlover
You’re not familiar with tagging someone out?
ICannotStressThisEnoughBut
I’m not from the states and have never watched it apart from random Hollywood movies...
slurmlover
Yeah but like tagging out at home is in every movie.
ICannotStressThisEnoughBut
I guess I never really paid enough attention then :)
Paasimus
2nd out requires a little more explanation.
ChantellyLace
When a pop up is caught, any runners that have already left base to advance have to return to tag the base, then they can advance again.
slurmlover
When a runner doesn’t return to their base in time after a hit, simply stepping on the base they should be on, while holding the ball...
slurmlover
Renders them out. So interestingly, Bruntlett ALSO could’ve thrown to first base to get the last guy out, as first baseman stepping on...
slurmlover
First while holding the ball would render the triple play. But then it wouldn’t be “unassisted” or as noteworthy. Not that he was thinking..
slurmlover
Of that. He just saw the guy in his path and went with his instincts to tag him. Every unassisted triple play ever has happened like this.