Former USC Shortstop Alvarez Shows Quakes How to Turn Three

It took shortstop Gabe Alvarez only a couple of weeks as a professional to accomplish one of the rarest achievements in baseball--an unassisted triple play.

Alvarez, a second-round selection of the San Diego Padres in this month’s draft after three years at USC, turned the triple play Wednesday night for the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes of the California League.

Alvarez made the play in the bottom of the seventh inning of Rancho Cucamonga’s 13-11 loss to the High Desert Mavericks. It came immediately after an error by Alvarez that allowed what proved to be the winning run to score.

High Desert’s Edwards Fully, who was on second base and Tom D’Aquila, at first, were running on the pitch when Mike Wolff lined to Alvarez. Alvarez touched second base to double off Fully before tagging D’Aquila to complete the triple play. It was the second such play in the 52-year history of the California League. The other took place May 9, 1994.