White Sox Take Loss, but Turn a Triple Play

On Page 352 of the Angel media guide, next to the list of 14 triple plays the Angels have either turned or hit into in franchise history, is a picture of catcher Bengie Molina.

How fitting.

With runners on first and second and none out in the sixth inning Wednesday night, Molina hit a chopper to Chicago White Sox third baseman Joe Crede, who stepped on the bag to start a 5-4-3 triple play, the ninth triple play the Angels have hit into and the first since Aug. 25, 1992, at Baltimore.

Though Crede gave Juan Uribe a nice feed to force Tim Salmon at second, and Uribe made a clean throw to first, it might have been the easiest triple play in baseball history.

The burly Molina, who has battled hamstring problems all season, may be the slowest runner in baseball, and Uribe’s throw to first beat Molina by four or five steps.

“I don’t think Bengie could have hit it better with a fungo bat,” Angel Manager Mike Scioscia said after the Angels’ 12-0 victory. “He hit it right on the bag, and [Crede] turned it.”

Said Chicago Manager Ozzie Guillen: “Right man, right place.”

It was the White Sox’s first triple play turned since June 6, 1996, at Boston, and Chicago first baseman Paul Konerko, no speedster himself, was glad to be the one completing the rare feat.

“I always figured I’d be on the field for a triple play, but I figured I’d be the one hitting into it,” Konerko said.

Was the right guy running?

“Yeah,” Konerko said. “It was patented.”

-- Mike DiGiovanna