Major League Baseball

Red Sox turn triple play

Published Aug. 17, 2011 2:34 a.m. ET

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The Boston Red Sox turned their first triple play in 17 years on Tuesday night against the Tampa Bay Rays, the second triple play in the Majors in as many days.

The Milwaukee Brewers also turned one Monday night against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

According to STATS LLC, the last time there were triple plays on consecutive days was May 22-23, 1981. On the 22nd the Mariners converted a triple play against the Rangers. The next day the Cleveland Indians converted a triple play against the Yankees.

Tuesday's triple play got the Red Sox out of a huge jam.

B.J. Upton and Casey Kotchman started the top of the fourth inning with singles off of Erik Bedard, who got out of the jam when Sean Rodriguez hit a hard grounder to third.

Jed Lowrie fielded it cleanly, stepped on the base and fired it to Dustin Pedroia, who got the ball off quickly to Adrian Gonzalez at first and beat Rodriguez to the bag.

It was Boston's first triple play since shortstop John Valentin turned one by himself on July 8, 1994.