Play at the Plate 28: Rusty Greer vs. Mike Macfarlane

This the 28th play at the plate card I've hightlighted on the blog. This card was included in the nice package I got from Tony at The (Common) Card Man.

July 12,1998
Texas Rangers vs the Oakland Athletics

It's the top of the 5th and Jimmy Haynes and Darren Oliver are locked in a 0-0 pitcher's dual. Haynes gives up a lead off single to Rusty Greer. Ivan Rodriguez steps to to the plate a rips a double to left field. A's left fielder Brian Lesher retrieves the ball and fires it to SS Miguel Tejada. Rusty Greer is races around third for home. Tejada takes the relay and fires home to catcher Mike Macfarlane. Rusty Greer is...




...out at home! Macfarlane fired the ball to Mike Blowers at third to catch Pudge for an unusual double play.

This was the second time in the game the Lesher to Tejada to Macfarlane relay had caught a Ranger at home. Will Clark was thrown out in the first inning as well.

The next batter, Luis Alicea, singled which made the Lesher play even bigger as it would have been a 2-0 Texas lead. As it was, the A's escaped without giving up any runs in the 5th and scored one off Oliver in the bottom of the inning. The A's would tack on 4 more runs in the 6th and go on to win the game 7-5.