News
Ellsbury ties MLB putout record
Red Sox center fielder's game-ending grab gives him 12
By Ian Browne / MLB.com
05/21/09 4:39 AM ET
BOSTON -- While all the buzz at Fenway Park was over David Ortiz ending his home run drought -- not to mention the Red Sox belting four homers in that same bottom of the fifth inning -- center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury set a club record for an outfielder with 11 putouts and then tied a Major League record by collecting putout No. 12 on the final out of the game.In the sixth inning, the speedster recorded his 11th putout of the night. Four Red Sox outfielders had made 10 putouts in a game. Who held that record previously? Ted Williams on Sept. 4, 1948, Tommy Umphlett on Aug. 16, 1953, Fred Lynn on June 4, 1978 and Lee Tinsley on Aug. 14, 1995.
Ellsbury made several fine running catches at the wall, helping along Brad Penny, who turned in his best performance in a Red Sox uniform.
The 12 putouts tied Earl Clark of the Boston Braves (May 10, 1929) and the Twins' Lymon Bostock (May 25, 1977) against the Red Sox.
"Good thing he stretched," said Red Sox manager Terry Francona. "He had a lot going on."
"I got off to a busy start. What was the total?" Ellsbury asked.
He was told it was 12.
"It didn't seem like that many," Ellsbury said. "Just got quite a few from the get-go. Brad was getting a lot of flyball action and I was tracking them down."
This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
