Asdrubal Cabrera turns unassisted triple play

05/12/2008 8:41 PM ET
Cabrera turns unassisted triple play
Second baseman snags liner, jumps on second and tags runner
By Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com

CLEVELAND -- Cliff Lee must be living right.

As if his infinitesimal ERA wasn't enough proof, Lee was the beneficiary of one of baseball's rarest and most special plays on Monday night. In the fifth inning of Game 2 of a doubleheader with the Blue Jays at Progressive Field, second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera turned an unassisted triple play in Lee's favor.

The Jays had Kevin Mench on second, Marco Scutaro on first and Lyle Overbay at the plate. With both runners going on a hit-and-run, Overbay hit a sinking liner up the middle that Cabrera dove for and caught. Cabrera then tagged second to retire Mench and tagged Scutaro for the third out.

How rare is the unassisted triple play? Well, this was only the 14th in Major League history, including postseason play. It was the first since the Rockies' Troy Tulowitzki pulled off the feat on April 29, 2007, against the Braves.

This was just the third unassisted triple play turned in the Tribe's long history and only the club's second in the regular season. Infielder Neal Ball turned one on July 19, 1909. The last time it happened came Oct. 10, 1920, when Bill Wambsganss turned one in Game 5 of the World Series against the Brooklyn Robins.

Anthony Castrovince is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

That is so cool! Glad it wasn't against Detroit!

That's quite an impressive feat. 2 years in a row we've seen one of these. Last year was a 6U-6U-6U TP, this year it's 4U-4U-4U TP.

Wish the Tigers could turn one!


Heck I be happy to see a pitcher go nine in a game.


Carmona and Lee went nine in both games of the DH.


When was the last time the Tigers did that? I bet Kaline was still playing the last time Tigers starters went nine innings in both games of a DH. Home or Road!


Hell! I be happy to see a regular DH; Especially in 54 degree weather[ be a long time for it is that cool at Comerica Park for a game again]


Tigers should have waited it out longer on Sunday! They could have played the game against the Yankees. Probably be the Last time I will be wearing anything other than a T shirt to a game.

Only 52 degrees on Sunday! All for naught! Great call Ilitch and DAVE D!

Well, it does seem like the TP's are happening more frequently now...

I want to see Renteria or Polanco do one!

gs78 wrote:

I want to see Renteria or Polanco do one!

Even better, I want to see Granderson turn an unassisted triple play. How would that work?

gs78 wrote:

I want to see Renteria or Polanco do one!

I want to see Renteria NOT make a throw like he did last night

True!