baseball puzzle #4 (last one)

[milagros317]

baseball puzzle #4 (last one)

Here is the last baseball puzzle (because I don't know any other hard ones). 😛

Yesterday's game lasted 12 innings, and the final score was Visitors 7, Hometeam 5. The box score shows that Sam, a pitcher for the Visitors, had 6 innings pitched. Sam was credited with a save. How is that possible?

 

[natural tickler]

Whenever a pitcher taking over for another (regardless of lead) pitches 3 or more innings, he is credited with a save😀

 

[jugner]

Nat.,

He would've got the win if it went to 12 innings.

 

[milagros317]

You are correct, Jugner, anybody pitching the last 6 innings of a 12 inning game would be the winning pitcher, since the winning run scored in the top of the 12th inning, and he got the side out in the bottom of the 11th inning. The rule for saves specifically states that the winning pitcher can not also be credited with a save.

In fact, Sam could not possibly get a save if he pitched 6 consecutive innings in a 12 inning game.

So here is how it could happen:

Sam (like Don Newcombe was) is both an excellent pitcher and a good hitter. In fact, he hits so well that he is often used as a pinch hitter. After five innings, the score was tied 4-4, Sam having two hits and 3 RBI. The manager moved Sam to left field to keep his bat in the lineup, and brought in a new pitcher.

The game went into extra innings tied 5-5, and was still 5-5 after 11 innings.

The Visitors scored two runs in the top of the 12th inning, using a pinch hitter for their 5th pitcher of the day. They led 7-5.

Realizing that no quality pitchers where left in his bullpen, the manager had Sam go from left field back to the mound, where he retired the side in order in the bottom of the 12th for a save.

😛

 

[jugner]

I get it, cool.

 

[ctft2001]

Mil,

I've got one for you. this is much more baseball trivia than knowledge of the rules, so it isn't quite as fair but nonetheless, here goes.

Hank Aaron tied Babe Ruth's all-time homerun mark off of Jack Billingham of the Reds. He broke the record homering off of Al Downing of the Dodgers (I'm pretty sure that's correct although the sequnce may have been first of Downing and then off Billingham).

Aaron, Downing and Billingham all had something in common, specifically related to baseball (or really any team sport). What was it?

 

[milagros317]

I must admit that I don't know what they have in common with respect to baseball. 😀

 

[ctft2001]

The question actually makes the point that this is something not specific to just baseball, but to any team sport (I think). The answer I was looking for was the all wore the same uniform number (#44).

There is only one problem with this. I did a little bit of checking after I posted the question and I found out that Jack Billingham actually wore #43. As it turn outs, for years what I considered one of the greatest trivia questions of all times, is a mistake.

Sorry!!!