# The most unlikely event/record in major league baseball histoty **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [April 25, 2019, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-unlikely-event-record-in-major-league-baseball-histoty/833053 "2019-04-25T21:09:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![BorgHunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@BorgHunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BorgHunter)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2019, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-unlikely-event-record-in-major-league-baseball-histoty/833053/41 "2019-05-03T19:12:39Z")
> [@glowacks](#): > > It’s ruled as a “no pitch”. Add one to the pitcher’s pitch count for fatigue factors, but do not advance the count. This is not true. A batted ball that strikes a bird remains live and in play. A _pitched_ ball that strikes a bird is ruled “no pitch”. > **[Baseball Rules Academy - The rules of baseball, explained](https://baseballrulesacademy.com/)** > > MORE THAN JUST RULES CAN YOU PASS THIS RULES QUIZ? REMOVE ADS – SIGN UP FOR A MEMBERSHIP BASEBALL INSTRUCTION VIEW ALL BASEBALL INSTRUCTION VIDEOS BASEBALL RULES VIEW ALL BASEBALL RULES Baseball Rules Academy is a must-see & must read resource... ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2019, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-unlikely-event-record-in-major-league-baseball-histoty/833053/42 "2019-05-03T20:02:00Z")
July 4 (5), 1985. Bottom of the 18th inning, Mets leading the Braves 11-10. 2 outs, one of the worst hitting pitchers in baseball - and one who had never hit a home run in his career - at the plate and an 0-2 count. Kid who foolishly stayed up most of the night following the game thinks it will finally end and he’ll go to sleep. Pitcher hits a home run to tie it, and the game goes on … > **[MLB News, Scores, Standings & Stats](https://www.foxsports.com/mlb)** > > Get MLB news, scores, stats, standings & more for your favorite teams and players -- plus watch highlights and live games! All on FoxSports.com. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2019, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-unlikely-event-record-in-major-league-baseball-histoty/833053/43 "2019-05-04T02:14:49Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Or do you mean the 2011 World Series? [Oops. Sorry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_World_Series#Game_6) :o ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2019, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-unlikely-event-record-in-major-league-baseball-histoty/833053/44 "2019-05-04T02:24:10Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > A bird crosses between the batter and pitcher and gets hit by the pitch. > > [Oh wait, that really happened.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PyCpG06138) Except that it happened in an Exhibition Game during spring training in Arizona, so it doesn’t count. Except to the poor bird’s family, of course. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2019, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-unlikely-event-record-in-major-league-baseball-histoty/833053/45 "2019-05-04T04:13:07Z")
There have been three MLB players named Randy Johnson and they all played in the 1980s. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-unlikely-event-record-in-major-league-baseball-histoty/833053/46 "2019-05-06T21:51:45Z")
By pitching a scoreless 8th inning in the Giants 12-4 loss to Cincinnati today, Pablo Sandoval became the second player in modern MLB history (Since 1900) with a home run, a stolen base, and scoreless pitching outing in the same game. The other player to do so was Christy Mathewson, who pitched a shutout on May 23, 1905…also playing for the (NY) Giants…and also against the Reds. But Pablo also hit a batter, so he’s got that going for him… ---
**Author:** ![Helmut\_Doork](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e8c25b/32.png) [@Helmut\_Doork](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helmut_Doork)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2019, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-unlikely-event-record-in-major-league-baseball-histoty/833053/47 "2019-05-27T03:14:00Z")
Hideo Nomo’s record of total number of no-hitters thrown at Coors Field (one) will never be broken. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2019, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-unlikely-event-record-in-major-league-baseball-histoty/833053/48 "2019-05-27T10:58:41Z")
> [@F.U.Shakespeare](#): > > Is anyone else surprised at how unfazed Canseco is? I’d think a batted ball (albeit, a high fly vice a line drive) could do pretty serious damage. But seconds later, he was laughing about it. I personally witnessed Canseco do the exact same thing at Yankee Stadium, while shagging fly balls during batting practice. The ball bounced off his head and into the stands. He, again, was completely unfazed. Despite his checkered history, he was a fun-loving guy. He laughed when I yelled, “Save it for the game!” ---
**Author:** ![DragonAsh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DragonAsh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DragonAsh)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2019, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-unlikely-event-record-in-major-league-baseball-histoty/833053/49 "2019-05-27T12:32:04Z")
Dave Stieb lost no-hitters with two outs and two strikes in the bottom of the ninth in 1988. In _back-to-back_ starts. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2019, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-unlikely-event-record-in-major-league-baseball-histoty/833053/50 "2019-05-28T02:52:09Z")
> [@Wrenching\_Spanners](#): > > … a batter hits a ball which strikes a bird in the air and the ball then falls to the ground? This, too, has happened. It’s at 0:14 in [this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlJXwe2QFsw). ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-unlikely-event-record-in-major-league-baseball-histoty/833053/51 "2019-06-03T01:20:08Z")
The rules of baseball provide the possibility of 4 outs in an inning under some extremely unlikely circumstance (the runner from third leaves too early and crosses home before the third out is scored and they appeal). Do any of you know if it has ever happened in MLB ? That would be pretty unlikely. There have been only two game-ending unassisted triple plays in major league history. I saw one of them in 2009. My son was there and he had already seen another game-ending triple play of which there have been fewer than in major league history and he has seen two of them. The other one was 5-4-3 and it was in early Sept. 1991 in Montreal 6 days before a 55 ton concrete chunk fell off the Olympic Stadium. ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-unlikely-event-record-in-major-league-baseball-histoty/833053/52 "2019-06-03T03:15:17Z")
[Baseball reference](https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Fourth_out) recounts a single instance in MLB history where it _could_ have happened, had the defence appealed. I conclude that means that it has never occurred. (I’m actually surprised at the scenario given there – I thought that tagging following a fly out was like a force play and could wipe out a run even if the out was made after the run scored). ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-unlikely-event-record-in-major-league-baseball-histoty/833053/53 "2019-06-03T09:22:47Z")
> [@Steven\_Estes](#): > > Thus strikes ne as artificial, and rather silly,but suggests a more interesting similar question what was the most unlikely event/record that\* did actually occur\* in a real major league game. [“On April 23, 1964, Ken Johnson of the Houston Colt .45s became the only pitcher to lose a complete game no-hitter in nine innings when he was beaten, 1–0, by Cincinnati. The winning run was scored by Pete Rose”](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/No-hitter). ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-unlikely-event-record-in-major-league-baseball-histoty/833053/54 "2019-06-03T16:33:05Z")
I mentioned this in another baseball thread recently, but it deserves recognition as an play unlikely ever to be repeated. Bottom of the 10th inning, 1989 Reds-Phillies game, winning run for the Phils on second (speedy runner). Lenny Dykstra lines a single into right field. The Reds’ Paul O’Neill charges the ball to make a play at the plate, muffs it, grabs desperately for the ball, juggles and drops it, and in frustration at botching a potential game-saving play, _kicks_ the ball. Meantime the Phils’ runner has momentarily held up going to third on a mistaken belief the ball might be caught on the fly, and O’Neill’s kick is a near-perfect relay to the first baseman. The run does not score. Shown [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqLMrSKLsak). It would’ve been perfect if that play eventually resulted in a Reds’ win, but you can’t have everything. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-unlikely-event-record-in-major-league-baseball-histoty/833053/55 "2019-06-03T16:49:10Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > [“On April 23, 1964, Ken Johnson of the Houston Colt .45s became the only pitcher to lose a complete game no-hitter in nine innings when he was beaten, 1–0, by Cincinnati. The winning run was scored by Pete Rose”](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/No-hitter). Andy Hawkins lost an eight-inning no hitter 4-0, with a lot of walks and errors. [MLB.com’s list of rare feats](http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/history/rare_feats/index.jsp?feature=no_hitter_loss) includes it. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-unlikely-event-record-in-major-league-baseball-histoty/833053/56 "2019-06-03T17:19:42Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > [“On April 23, 1964, Ken Johnson of the Houston Colt .45s became the only pitcher to lose a complete game no-hitter in nine innings when he was beaten, 1–0, by Cincinnati. The winning run was scored by Pete Rose”](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/No-hitter). It would have been ironic if, by scoring the winning run, Rose lost a bet. ---
**Author:** ![Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d9b06d/32.png) [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boozahol_Squid_P.I)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-unlikely-event-record-in-major-league-baseball-histoty/833053/57 "2019-06-03T18:56:41Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > It would have been ironic if, by scoring the winning run, Rose lost a bet. Ironic, but completely in character. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-unlikely-event-record-in-major-league-baseball-histoty/833053/58 "2019-06-03T21:29:15Z")
> [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](#): > > Ironic, but completely in character. I’d even call that Rosaic. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-unlikely-event-record-in-major-league-baseball-histoty/833053/59 "2019-06-03T22:33:45Z")
P. Rosaic ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-unlikely-event-record-in-major-league-baseball-histoty/833053/60 "2019-06-03T23:31:16Z")
> [@Xema](#): > > P. Rosaic Well-played. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-unlikely-event-record-in-major-league-baseball-histoty/833053.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-unlikely-event-record-in-major-league-baseball-histoty/833053.md?page=4)