A double play is a pitcher’s best friend, and the Royals’ Brad Keller induced one in unusual fashion during the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader against the Yankees.
New York had loaded the bases with no outs in the second inning when the Yankees’ Tyler Wade hit a tapper about 2 feet in front of the plate.
Royals catcher Salvador Perez sprang to his feet, touched home plate for the force and then tagged Wade for the second out.
It was over in a flash and Wade seemed a bit stunned because the double play happened while he was in the batter’s box.
Take a look:
How rare is the 2-unassisted double play? Fox Sports Kansas City associate producer/stats guru Dave Holtzman tweeted: “I can only go as far back as 1974 (per STATS LLC), but Salvador Perez’s 2-U double play today marks just the 7th time that has happened in baseball since 1974. Amazingly, former #Royal Jason LaRue did it twice.”