It’s that time of the week again when we look back at the previous seven days of baseball for the best the game had to offer. There was a mix of the flashy and the fundamental. There were plenty of fireworks both off the bat and in the field. There was even some snow! Let’s take a look at the top five plays that defined the week that was in Major League Baseball.
5. Marisnick Turns An Unassisted Double Play, From The Outfield
Houston center fielder Jake Marisnick was on top of our heap of great plays last week. He stays on the list this week with a play more smart than spectacular. In the fourth inning of Thursday’s game against the Angels, Collin McHugh gave up a one out single to Albert Pujols. The next batter was Matt Joyce who blooped a routine fly ball to Marisnick in center. What happened next was where the smart part comes in, on Marisnick’s behalf at least. Albert Pujols was nearly at third base, obviously forgetting the number of outs, as Marisnick trotted all the way from his position to first to record an unconventional, unassisted twin killing.
4. Pirates Find A Way To Turn Two
It was a bad situation for Pittsburgh Monday against division rivals Cincinnati. The Reds had loaded the bases with no outs and catcher Brayan Pena stepping up to the plate. Pirates starter Jeff Locke needed something remarkable to minimize the damage. It looked like his wishes were not to be granted as Pena laced a shot up the middle past the back hand attempt by the Pirates left hander. Locke’s middle infielders had his back though. Neil Walker laid out to stop Pena’s batted ball and flipped the ball to shortstop Jordy Mercer for one out. Mercer started his throwing motion in air as he spun towards first base to finish off the double play to Pedro Alvarez. A run may have scored and the Pirates eventually lost, but this wasn’t the last time the Pirates defense stole the show last week.
3. Bryce Harper Breaks Slump In A Big Way
Many pundits have been waiting for the Nationals to finally click in 2015. They sleepwalked through April and looked to be doing the same through May until last Wednesday. $200 million dollar man Max Scherzer was struggling through his worst outing of the season against the Marlins. He gave up ten hits and five runs, both far and away season highs. Normally, Scherzer would have taken the loss with such a performance. Alas, what Bryce Harper did against poor Tom Koehler was not normal. The phenomenal 22 year old hit three mammoth home runs, breaking a 1-for-17 slump, to drive in five of Washington’s seven runs on the day. The Nats haven’t lost since and Harper became the youngest player to leave the park three times in a single game. Watch out Mets, the Nationals are coming for you.
2. Edward Mujica Keeps His Head, Under His Legs
Last week saw J.P. Howell take the silver medal on Top of the Heap with a behind the back tag at the plate to preserve an eventual Dodgers victory. It may not have been a sliding tag this week, but the number two this week once again features some behind the back action and a play at the plate. The Rays were threatening most of the night against Boston last Wednesday. Justin Masterson didn’t have it and his opening relief, Edward Mujica looked shaky as well. The latter shook that off with a hell of a play in the bottom of the sixth. Rene Rivera led off the inning with a deep double. After being sacrificed to third, Logan Forsythe came to bat. He lined a shot up the middle that would look to give Tampa their fifth run. Mujica calmly swung his glove under his derriere, snagged the one hopper and had both the balance and presence of mind to throw home to get Rivera. It would be his last batter and the Red Sox would lose 5-3, but Mujica made sure pitchers were accounted for on this list yet again.
1. Pirates Make Another Appearance, And History
The Pirates’ double play at #4 on this edition was pretty great. It had everything you want from a picture perfect double play: great glovework, a stunning turn, and a great throw. The Pittsburgh infield weren’t resting on their laurels on Saturday night. The Bucs were preseason favorites, but have been struggling lately and sit only above the pathetic Brewers in the National League Central. Their offense has been non-existent but have relied on a piecework pitching staff and amazing work from their defense. All three came to play on Saturday and the baseball rarity that occurred in the second inning may be the play that turns around their season. With runners on second and third and nobody out. Yadier Molina hit a bullet up the middle off of Vance Worley. Neil Walker once again made an incredible snag to retire Molina and then threw to third to double off Jhonny Peralta who had headed towards home. Confusions reigned for the next few seconds as both Cardinals’ base runner Jason Heyward and Pirates’ third baseman Jung Ho Kang thought that was it. Kang made a full loop around the base before getting yelled at, in both Korean and English according to manager Clint Hurdle, to throw it back to Walker for the third out. Heyward says he was unaware that Walker didn’t get him out initially by stepping on second but that didn’t stop him from being the final out in the first 4-5-4 triple play in Major League history.