Baseball Brain Teaser?

Question

I saw a baseball game a few years ago where a team hit 3 triples and 3 singles in one inning and didn't score a run. Can you explain how this could happen?

There weren't any errors in the inning, and nobody fell down and couldn't run the bases. Good luck!

Additional Details

Umm, just a reminder that a team only gets 3 outs in one inning. There have been some good answers and great scenarios presented. Dee-Ray actually has a scenario that works, but it wasn't quite the same scenario that I saw that day. Keep the guesses coming!

Oasis, I don't remember the exact date, but I do remember the the Angels played in the game. I don't remember any of the other details - just the situation.

Thanks for all of the interesting answers! Here's what I saw:

Triple - Out trying to steal home.
Triple - Out on a botched squeeze bunt.
Triple - man on third base
Infield Single - runners hold.
Infield Single - runners hold.
Now, bases loaded with 2 outs.
Line drive single to center. Man on third slowly trots home. Batter reaches first. Man on first reaches second, but overruns the bag. A quick throw from center field catches the player on second off of the bag and he is tagged out before the runner crossed the plate. The official scorer determines that the batter is awarded a single.

3 triples. 3 singles. no runs.

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

First batter hits a triple, and is thrown out trying to stretch it into home run.
Second Batter hits a triple and is also thrown out at home (or rounding the bag too far, or is picked off).
Third batter hits a triple.
Next two batters hit infield singles, runner stays at third.
Next batter hits a runner with the batted ball. This is ruled a base hit, but the runner is out. Three triples, three singles, three outs, no runs.

Source(s):

Forty years watching baseball.

Asker's Rating:

Asker's Comment:

Nice answer.

Answer 2

Maybe they were caught stealing.Or a couple of those triples they tried to go home and got caught and that would be counted as a triple.

Answer 3

first a triple was hit, next another triple was hit however the first runner was thrown out at the plate, next another triple was hit and the 2nd guy was thrown out at the plate, next a single was hit, runner didnt score, another single was hit so bases are loaded and nobody scores, last single is hit but one of the runners is thrown out somewhere other than first so that the run didnt count

Answer 4

On all the triples they tried to go home and were caught.
ON all the singles they tried to go to second and were caught.

Answer 5

There are several way. the secret is to remember things like getting picked off (1st or 3rd), a base runner getting hit by a batted ball, and that you get credited with a triple if you're thrown out at home trying to stretch it into an inside the park HR (or a hit if trying for a double)

Answer 6

the first triple tried to get an inside the park homerun and was thrown out and then the other triple was thrown out when trying to score on the single. The single tried to steal second and got thrown out then the thrid trile was thrown out trying to score on the single. That wasnt very hard to figure out

Answer 7

the people who got triples got out when they went for home.then the people who hit single , eventually there was people on every base.then there could have been 3 strike outs, or there could have been a double play on those singles.

Answer 8

the teams combined for the 3 triples and 3 hits. Right? probably not but...I tried

Answer 9

Pickoffs, and some were caught stealing.

Answer 10

the runner at 3rd was hit by the ball. Runner out batter a single.

Answer 11

I wish you could of mentioned the date and which teams were involved. It's an interesting scenario to think about.

Answer 12

Hey Freddy G there are only 3 outs in an inning per side soo dipshit lets think IF all runners are caught then there will be 6 outs

Answer 13

Let's see here.....the first two triples were thrown out trying to stretch an inside the park home run. The next batter triples, followed be two infield singles, (the runner didn't score), and the next batter had an infield single. But on that single, the batter reached first, being credited with an official single. AFTER he reached base, one of the runners was tagged out BEFORE the run scored. Is that it?

Answer 14

Triple - picked off
Triple - picked off (or got thrown out stetching it)
Single
Single
Single
Triple -- it appears 3 runs score but the first runner missed home plate so they appeal the call and he did in fact miss home plate so the ump calls him out and says no runs score -- but batter still gets credited with a triple

Answer 15

triple / out at home trying for hr - 1 out
triple / " " " " " " - 2 outs
triple
infield single
infield single / bases loaded
next batter hits it out but passes runner at first base
batter credited w/single - out # 3 no runs score

Source(s):

hard to believe anything like this actually happenned