True or False...a pitcher once got credit for a win without throwing a pitch? If so, how could it happen?
Google is your friend!
"Call Rockies left-hander Alan Embree the winning
picker.
"Embree entered Tuesday night's game against the Nationals with two out in the eighth, Austin Kearns the runner on first and the score tied at 4. Seconds later, the reliever was applying a tag to Kearns to end an odd rundown, which started with his pickoff throw.
"The Rockies scored in the bottom of the eighth and won, 5-4, which made Embree the first Major Leaguer in six years -- and the second one in at least 23 years -- to earn a win without throwing a pitch.
Embree, 39, is sixth among active pitchers in appearances and second among left-handers. He is 30th on the all-time list. Yet, when his teammates placed the baseball in a sandwich bag for safe keeping, he could truly say it commemorated a unique experience.
"It was a fun play for me, because I'd never seen it," Embree said.
"Embree joins Jays pitcher B.J. Ryan, who beat the Tigers without throwing a pitch on May 1, 2003, as the only players to accomplish the feat since STATS Inc. began tracking pitches in 1986. As of Tuesday night, no one had dug up an instance in the game's long history in which a pitcher didn't throw a pitch, was credited with a putout and earned a win.
AND...
"Baltimore at Detroit, first game of a double-header.
"In the bottom of the 7th with Detroit leading 2-1, BJ Ryan was brought in to relieve Pat Hentgen with two out and Omar Infante at first.
"Ryan attempted a pick-off throw before throwing a pitch to the batter. Infante took off to second base and was tagged out attempting to steal (1-3-6)
"Baltimore scored three runs in the top of the 8th, making Ryan the pitcher of record for the O's.
"Buddy Groom replaced Ryan to start the bottom of the 8th.
"The O's added an insurance run in the 9th to win 5-2.
"Ryan gained the win without having thrown a pitch."
Perry