The Atlanta Braves pulled off one of the rarest plays in baseball, a triple-play, against the Boston Red Sox, which largely happened due to the sheer incompetence of the Red Sox on the base paths…
Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas hit a routine fly ball into center field which was pretty easily run down by Braves center fielder Michael Harris for the first out of the inning.
Unfortunately, Red Sox outfielder Adam Duvall got a horrible read on the fly ball, seemingly thinking that the ball was going to land in for a hit. He was nearly 3/4 of the way to second base when Harris made the catch, easily getting doubled off at first base for the second out of the inning.
Red Sox second base runner Masataka Yoshida made things even worse, attempting to tag up from second base when he saw the throw come into first base. He was thrown out at third base on a great throw from Matt Olson to complete this bizarre triple-play.
Brandon Gaudi on Bally Sports South perfectly detailed the excitement of Braves fans on the team broadcast of the game on Bally Sports South.
The Braves turn a triple play!
(And the Red Sox have brutal baserunning)
Here's Brandon Gaudin on the call for Bally Sports South. ⚾️🎙️ pic.twitter.com/HgqAr1xigN
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) July 26, 2023
Meanwhile, the Red Sox broadcast was far less enthusiastic about the triple-play, to say the least…
“That’s just unacceptable. That is flat unacceptable,” said NESN’s Dave O’Brien breaking down the play at the top of the following inning.
"That's just unacceptable. That is flat unacceptable." pic.twitter.com/izFHYqOkrn
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) July 26, 2023
Fans at home largely agreed with O’Brien, absolutely ripping the Red Sox for their horrible base-running on the play.
The Red Sox are undefeated on the base paths. Best to ever do it. pic.twitter.com/9J9QHEjje8
— Jared Carrabis (@Jared_Carrabis) July 26, 2023
Another classic 2023 Red Sox moment.
Triple play on a Triston Casas flyout to CF. My oh my.pic.twitter.com/HBURsevwDN
— Tyler Milliken ⚾️ (@tylermilliken_) July 26, 2023
they’re somehow still a pretty good team, but the 2023 Red Sox are putting together a Yakety Sax mixtape for the ages. just a shocking amount of uniquely chaotic lowlights on both sides of the ball all season longpic.twitter.com/rj21NC6RiF
— Céspedes Family BBQ (@CespedesBBQ) July 26, 2023
The greatest display of base running these eyes have ever seen pic.twitter.com/EoZeW8x2Xx
— Red Sox Stats (@redsoxstats) July 26, 2023
The 2023 Boston Red Sox pic.twitter.com/ecF20xk88A
— Boston Diehards (@Boston_Diehards) July 26, 2023
This triple-play in particular from the Braves is among the rarest of all time considering how it happened. It is just the second 8-3-5 triple play in baseball history, with the only other one of this nature coming back in 1884.
There have been 734 triple plays turned in baseball history. The one the #Braves turned in the third inning was just the second all-time to go 8-3-5. The Beaneaters also turned an 8-3-5 triple play on June 7, 1884 vs the Grays.
— Kevin McAlpin (@KevinMcAlpin) July 26, 2023
