A popup triple play? Tough day on bases for Chisox system

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Hours after the Chicago White Sox watched two of their runners get trapped by a pickoff throw, their Double-A affiliate did them even one better on the bases.

The Birmingham Barons hit a little popup that turned into a triple play.

Barons manager Omar Vizquel, the former star infielder, was coaching third when Birmingham loaded the bases against the Montgomery Biscuits with no outs in the eighth inning of their Southern League game Saturday night.

Laz Rivera lofted a popup and the umpires called the infield fly rule, meaning the batter was automatically out and the runners could hold their bases no matter what.

But the infield fly rule often causes confusion, too. And when the high pop eluded first baseman Kevin Padlo, it quickly became bizarre.

The ball fell on the edge of the dirt and infield grass, and Padlo went down to all fours trying to recover.

Gavin Sheets headed home from third base and got tagged out in a rundown. The Biscuits then made a couple more throws to catch Ti’Quan Forbes between second and third, completing the odd triple play.

“Crazy,” said Curt Bloom, who has called Barons games on radio for 27 years. “I have called a few triple plays, but none with a couple of rundowns on an infield fly.”

The Biscuits, an affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays, won 12-7.

Earlier Saturday, the White Sox made a big baserunning blunder and lost to Cleveland 5-2.

Chicago had two on in the third inning when Indians pitcher Jefry Rodriguez made a pickoff throw that trapped Yolmer Sanchez off second. Sanchez was tagged in a rundown, and Charlie Tilson also was caught when he strayed off first.