The 1990 Twins didn't have much luck on their way to a 74-88 record, but on July 17, 1990, the ball bounced Minnesota's way twice in a game against the Red Sox.
That was the night the Twins turned two around-the-horn triple plays at Fenway Park. It's the only time that's happened in MLB history.
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It broke down like this:
Triple Play No. 1 (fourth inning): After a walk to Wade Boggs, a double from Jody Reed and a walk to Carlos Quintana to load the bases, Twins pitcher Scott Erickson got former Twin Tom Brunansky to ground to third baseman Gary Gaetti, who stepped on the bag and threw to second to start the 5-4-3 triple killing. Triple killing? Yeah, let's go with that. (Ironically, a double play is known as a twin killing, but there's no common nickname for a triple play.)
Triple Play No. 2 (eighth inning): With lefty John Candelaria pitching and runners on first and second — thanks to a Tim Naehring double and a Wade Boggs walk — the runners attempted a double steal with Jody Reed at the plate. As Gaetti darted toward the bag in anticipation of a throw, Reed hit the ball right down the third-base line and found Gaetti just as he got to the bag. Once again, Gaetti stepped on the bag and threw to second baseman Al Newman, who threw to first baseman Kent Hrbek to complete the second triple play and escape another jam.
The Twins had to feel good after that second one, and they probably thought they were destined to win the game.
In the end, though, the triple plays had to serve as moral victories, because the Red Sox won the game, 1-0.
If a double play is a pitcher's best friend, then a triple play is a pitcher's ... rich uncle? I don't know, but we need to get a consensus on that.
