Bruntlett’s Triple Play Was Amazin’, Mets

When Phillies utility man Eric Bruntlett scored two game-winning runs in the 2008 World Series, he became the answer to one of the most famous trivia questions in the history of the franchise. Yesterday, he did it again.↵↵Getting a spot start at second base while Charlie Manuel gave Chase Utley a day off, Bruntlett went 3-for-5, upping his average to .154 on the season. Actually, Brunlett almost went 4-for-5, as he was awarded a triple on a diving catch by Jeff Francoeur before the call was correctly overturned by the umpires in the top of the ninth inning. While 3-for-5 is nice, especially for a guy batting .128 heading into the game with just 14 hits on the season, it’s not exactly trivia worthy. ↵

↵↵Enter the bottom of the ninth. Brad Lidge on the mound. The Phillies, who led 6-0 before Pedro Martinez ever stepped on the mound to face his old team, were up by just three, 9-6, when Ryan Howard let a two-hopper go by him down the first base line for a three-base error. The next batter grounded right Bruntlett who booted the ball, giving the Mets the score and another runner on base. Well, the ball has a tendency to find people, doesn’t it? The very next pitch was grounded up the middle, and while Bruntlett stopped the ball from going into centerfield, he was unable to backhand to Jimmy Rollins covering the bag for the force out. Ruled a hit (it was) the game should have been over at that point. But instead, it was 9-7 with two men on and no outs.↵

↵↵With the game on his bat, Francouer stepped in to the box and smashed a 1-2 pitch back up he middle. The rest ... is trivia (video via The Fightins):↵

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Talk about the ball having a tendency to find someone. It’s just the 14th unassisted triple play in the history of baseball (regular season) and just the second time a triple play has ended a game, with the first coming in 1927 by Tigers first baseman John Neun. And while the Phillies have 33 triple plays in their history, it’s just the second unassisted triple play in team history (Mickey Morandini has a roommate in the record books). ↵↵⇥“It was a crucial situation,” Bruntlett told reporters after the game. “It was huge, especially when I was part of the reason that we got into a bad spot there in the ninth. It feels extra special to have that happen there to finish off the game.”↵↵↵The most crushing part for the Mets, in a season of crushing losses, is that the triple play was seemingly caused by putting both runners in motion. Not only was it easy for Brunlett double and triple off the runners, but the reason he was in that position on the field was because of the runners, allowing him to be in the perfect spot to catch Francoeur’s batted ball. After the game, MLB.com beat writer Todd Zolecki spoke with Rollins -- who takes pride in needling the Mets whenever he can -- about the double-steal/hit-and-run attempt which led to one of the most historic losses in Mets history and catapulted Bruntlett into Aflac trivia status for years to come:↵

↵↵⇥“I’m thinking that wasn’t smart baseball.”↵↵