Hit Show? How about the Pinch-Hit Show

Posted Sep 7, 2010 by Roger Mooney

Updated Sep 7, 2010 at 09:08 AM

ROGER MOONEY
BOSTON Trailing the Red Sox by nine runs Monday in the top of the seventh inning, Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon did what any basketball coach would do during the later stages of a lopsided loss – he emptied his bench.

Maddon sent six pinch-hitters to plate to set a franchise record and tied the major league mark for most pinch-hitters in one inning.

What’s more, three of them had hits and two drew bases-loaded walks as the Rays scored three times in the inning during what became a 12-5 loss at Fenway Park.

Until Monday the team record for pinch-hitters in an inning was five, set on June 18, 2006 in Philadelphia during an 8-5 loss to the Phillies.

“That’s even tougher in a National League game to have five pinch-hitters and make it work,” said Maddon, who was in his first season as the Rays manager in 2006. “And that wasn’t even September (when the rosters expand). That was regular season, so it takes even more imagination.”

Monday’s pinch-hit parade began when Dan Johnson batted for Ben Zobrist to start the inning. Johnson singled.

After Kelly Shoppach flied out to center, Matt Joyce hit for B.J. Upton and singled.

Willy Aybar hit for Jason Bartlett and singled to load the bases.

Brad Hawpe was sent up to bat for Carl Crawford and walked in a run.

Desmond Jennings hit for Evan Longoria and walked in another run. The RBI was the first of Jennings’ big league career.

The last pinch-hitter was Reid Brignac, who hit for Sean Rodriguez and followed a bases-loaded walk to Carlos Peña – the third straight bases-loaded walked issued by the Red Sox. Brignac, who twice was called back from the on-deck circle when Maddon decided to use Hawpe and Jennings, swung at the first pitch and fouled out to Lars Anderson at first base.

The three pinch-hits in one inning, while impressive, falls one pinch-hit shy of tying the major league record that is shared by five teams.

The six pinch-hitters in one inning is a record now shared by nine teams.

Maddon, operating with the limitation of a 25-man roster, used five consecutive pinch-hitters against the Phillies in 2006 on a Sunday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park.

Rocco Baldelli, one of three Rays to not get pinched hit for Monday, started the first pinch-hit parade in team history. Batting for Greg Norton, Baldelli singled.

Ty Wigginton hit for Russell Branyan and struck out.

Damon Hollins hit for Travis Lee and forced Baldelli at second base.

Jonny Gomes batted for Josh Paul and walked.

Toby Hall hit for pitcher Tim Corcoran and flied out to center field to end the inning.

The Rays set a new mark for substitutions Monday, but Maddon liked the old record better.

“Being an American League game in September with a bigger bench it’s not nearly as impressive,” Maddon said.