Quintessential Plays

FIELDING
Outfield assists aren't rare, but they don't happen all that often within a single game. Outfield assists to home happen that much less.

Imagine, sitting in the stands enjoying a snack and beverage. A ball is hit to the outfield and the player on base takes off for home. The ball lands safely for a hit, but the outfielder charges the ball as the runner continues towards home. The outfielder scoops the ball up and fires towards home. There's a play at the plate and the runner is... OUT!

It's one of the quintessential plays in baseball and if you get to see one live, it's great.

Imagine how many peanuts, hot dogs, and drinks went flying as fans went crazy in the CHC/PHI game for each of the four plays at the plate that resulted in outs:

Outfield assists - J Jones (A Nunez at Home),
              M Murton (S Victorino at Home).

Outfield assists - S Victorino 2 (A Soriano at Home,
              J Jones at Home).

Two plays at the plate resulting in outs by each team is the kind of baseball fans home to, but rarely, get to see.

PITCHING
With two outs in the seventh inning, Boone Logan was brought into the KAN/CWS game. What resulted is the type of performance managers pray for when they make the motion towards the bullpen:

             IP    H   R   ER  BB  K   HR
B. Logan     0.1   0   0   0   0   1   0

Pitches-strikes - B Logan 3-3

Three pitches. Three strikes. One out. End of the inning.

HITTING
Taylor Tankersley was brought into the FLA/WAS game to protect a 3-2 lead and register his first save of the season. What followed was a combination of two hits, two walks, two outs, a run scored, and the bases loaded.

With the game tied and bases loaded, Jorge Julio was brought into the game in hopes of getting Ryan Zimmerman out and taking the game into extra innings.

His first pitch was a ball. His second pitch:

HR - R Zimmerman (2, 9th inning off J Julio 3 on, 2 Out).

The walk-off grand slam. Yet another quintessential play in baseball.