PITTSBURGH -- Call it a DIY DP from LF.
The Rockies’ Jake McCarthy turned a rare feat for a left fielder -- an unassisted double play in the bottom of the first inning of Wednesday night’s 10-4 victory over the Pirates at PNC Park. It was the first 7U double play in Rockies history and the first in the Majors in 13 seasons.
The play also drew a connection between McCarthy and the last left fielder to turn a do-it-yourself double play -- the Red Sox’s Jonny Gomes in the 15th inning against the Mariners on July 31, 2013.
“I’ll have to text him -- Jonny was one of my outfield coordinators right when I got drafted by the D-backs,” McCarthy said. “I’ll have to find the video of that play.”
The video of McCarthy’s play ends with him laughing his way to the dugout.
With Oneil Cruz at second base with one out and moving on the pitch, Bryan Reynolds lined a changeup to left, which had McCarthy moving toward the infield to make the catch.
Cruz had no possibility of making it back to second, so he just kept running. After making the catch, McCarthy realized he had no reason to throw the ball to second baseman Edouard Julien at the bag, so he kept running -- and kept up his chuckle -- until he stepped on second to end the inning. It was an unusual double play, but Rockies lefty pitcher Jose Quintana was fine with it.
“I think ‘Jules’ is a little upset I didn’t throw it to him -- I think he wanted the putout,” McCarthy said, still smiling. “I just saw out of the corner of my eye how Oneil was kind of close to home. I figured I was on my way to the dugout, so why not?”
Before Gomes’ play, the two most-recent unassisted double plays from left fielders were accomplished by the Orioles’ Jay Payton on Sept. 14, 2007 against the Blue Jays and by the Mets’ Joe McEwing on April 4, 2002 against the Pirates.