J.J. Hardy has been playing some questionable defense during the Baltimore Orioles’ series against the Boston Red Sox, but he helped the Orioles turn a triple play Tuesday night at Fenway Park.
The Red Sox had runners on first and second with no outs in the eighth inning when Jackie Bradley Jr. stepped to the plate and skied a pop fly to shallow left field.
Hardy went out into left field but lost the ball in the lights, allowing it to fall for a hit.
But the Red Sox’s baserunners didn’t advance, which allowed Hardy to turn an unconventional triple play.
The Orioles shortstop tagged Mitch Moreland and stepped on second base to record the first two outs, and then fired to first to retire Bradley Jr., who already had peeled out of the baseline believing that an infield-fly rule had been called. The Red Sox center fielder was called out for removing himself from the playing field.
Take a look at the crazy sequence below.
Now that’s unconventional.
The Red Sox won the game 5-2.
Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
