Despite turning three triple plays in the first three years of their existence, the Toronto Blue Jays had not turned one since a Sept. 21, 1979 game against the New York Yankees.
But their 33-year drought finally came to an end on Friday when Kansas City's Eric Hosmer lined a pitch to first baseman Adam Lind with runners on first and second in the third inning of Toronto's 4-3 win over the Royals.
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Many baseball fans, of course, will remember the 1992 World Series against Atlanta, when Devon White's spectacular catch of a David Justice fly ball almost turned into just the second triple play in Fall Classic history. Bob Davidson's blown call at second base, however, prevented the Kelly Gruber and the Blue Jays from recording the third out.
The umps didn't have any such challenge on Friday, as the play was much more cut-and-dry. Lind told reporters he knew the triple play was in the cards as soon as he caught the ball.
From the Associated Press:
''It's the first one I've ever seen in person,'' Blue Jays manager John Farrell said. ''You don't try to make a pitch to get a triple play, but fortunately Hosmer squares the ball up. It looks like a sinking line drive so you can see where the baserunners are going to extend their secondary leads. We caught a break there. It was a quick one for sure ... We go from runners being on first and second to being out of the inning."
In a bit of a strange twist, it had also been 33 years since the Royals fell victim to a triple play.
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