You'll have to trust me when I say that the ball is in his glove in this shot...or go back and watch it to see that it's part of the sequence. But in this pic, foot's on the bag and ball's in the glove.

However, the relay man leaving the bag at second a little bit early but still getting the out call is pretty common in baseball these days. The runner is coming in with the total intention of taking out the fielder so that there aren't 2 outs recorded on the play. Umpires tend to give some leeway to the defense so that the thrower doesn't have to decide between a broken leg and an inning-ending out. Most of the time they get the bag tapped...but you can find times when they don't and still get the call. This wasn't one of those times though.

Didn't miss it!

By HenryAlan on Wed, 08/17/2011 - 12:07pm.

I was right there at the game! It's such a rare thing, that it took people a beat to realize what had happened. I kind of got it as the ball was heading from Pedie to Gonzo, but my first thought when he turned to throw, was "what's he doing, they already turned the double play?" My next thought was, "oh, still one more out to end the inning," followed by a wave of excitement at what I was about to witness. This was all in the fraction of a second between the throw and the catch, and I was already standing and clapping by that point.

Yeah, I was at the game as

By benos on Wed, 08/17/2011 - 1:01pm.

Yeah, I was at the game as well. I knew they'd get third and second cleared, but didn't know if they'd have time to get the man at first. Pedroia's diving catch on the sinking liner later on was great too.

I saw the play...

By StartWearingPurple on Wed, 08/17/2011 - 2:59pm.

but the standings didn't. Apparently a triple play doesn't get you a win and doesn't close a half-game gap between your team and the team in first place.

You know who wins on August 17th every year?

By Kaz on Wed, 08/17/2011 - 3:07pm.

Nobody, that's who.

However, a triple play is a triple play.

A triple play certainly is a triple play

By StartWearingPurple on Wed, 08/17/2011 - 4:37pm.

Just like a loss is a loss. Who wins on August 17? Not the Sox. Good outing, Lackey. He's going to look awesome in the pen come playoff time.

It's a 162 game season

By HenryAlan on Wed, 08/17/2011 - 5:21pm.

they are going to lose lots of games, and nevertheless go to the play-offs. You can't get too worked up about a loss hear and there, or even two or three in a row. It happens. But a triple play happens once every 16 years in Redsox Nation, so it is indeed quite special.

"Special"

By StartWearingPurple on Wed, 08/17/2011 - 8:12pm.

As is a barely fair home run in a World Series the Sox lose. "Play like you've been there before" isn't exactly Red Sox Nation's motto.

Look Mr. Troll

By HenryAlan on Wed, 08/17/2011 - 9:06pm.

I don't know what you're on about, but this has nothing to do with team allegiance. I'd have been nearly as excited to see Tampa execute the play. It's unusual, it was fun to see. Save your hate for something that matters.

Yankee fan, I assume?

By Michael on Wed, 08/17/2011 - 7:52pm.

Or maybe not...I sure wouldn't be mocking another team's shaky starting pitching if my team had any chance of sending AJ Burnett out to the mound in October.

Tend your own garden

By StartWearingPurple on Wed, 08/17/2011 - 8:20pm.

Not a Yankees fan, but I've been here long enough to follow the soap opera. Funny, the Yankees look like they might send Sabathia, Hughes, Colon, Garcia or Ivan Nova out there in October. With Buchholz down, the Sox rotation looks like Lester, Beckett and then either Lackey, Bedard or Wakefield.

I seriously don't know how you people can knock Burnett, who pitched a masterpiece against the Phillies in the 2009 series, knowing that you have that shelf of tomato cans filling the third starter spot come playoff time.

Sorta true

By benos on Thu, 08/18/2011 - 12:10pm.

We don't have the greatest third or fourth spots, but Bedard or Lackey would be just as likely to provide you with a solid start as Burnett or his ilk. Lackey is 127-91 with a 4.03 ERA and 1443 SO for his career; Bedard is 55-49 with a 3.68 ERA and 905 SO career; Burnett is 119-109, 4.04 ERA, 1749 SO. Bedard and Burnett have just about equal OBAs at .243, and Lackey's is .267. Oh, WHIP's almost identical for all three as well. So really, six of one, half a dozen of the other.

In any event, I think we have a better top two than New York does. I mean, really, does either Hughes or Colon match up to either Beckett or Lester? I'm not so sure.

In case you missed the triple play

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