Did You Know? – The Red Sox and Total Bases

Total bases (TB) refers to the number of bases a player has gained with hits and is a very easy statistic to calculate; it follows a simple formula: 1B + 2*2B + 3*3B + 4*HR.

Following Will Middlebrooks‘ offensive barrage in today’s 13-0 win over the Blue Jays, in which the young Red Sox third baseman hit three home runs and a double, there are now six players in Boston team history since 1916 with at least 14 TB in one game.

Player             Date        Opp  Rslt     PA  AB  H  2B  3B  HR  TB
Fred Lynn          1975-06-18  DET  W,15-1   6   6   5  0   1   3   16
Dustin Pedroia     2010-06-24  COL  W,13-11  6   5   5  1   0   3   15
John Valentin      1995-06-02  SEA  W,6-5    5   5   5  1   0   3   15
Will Middlebrooks  2013-04-07  TOR  W,13-0   5   5   4  1   0   3   14
Carl Yastrzemski   1965-05-14  DET  L,8-12   6   5   5  1   1   2   14
Norm Zauchin       1955-05-27  WSH  W,16-0   5   5   4  1   0   3   14

Lynn and Zauchin both finished with 10 RBI, while Valentin finished with just three (three solo home runs); Middlebrooks finished the afternoon with four RBI after two solo shots and a two-run blast, while Pedroia and Yaz each collected five RBI. The latter two players also each recorded a walk to add to their line, though walks do not count as the statistic only represents bases reached by a hit.

Yaz is the only player on the list to hit less than three home runs; his total was made possible as he hit for the cycle (single, double, triple, and home run in one game) while adding a second home run to his totals.  Unfortunately, he is the only player on the list whose Red Sox team lost that day.

Lynn’s record-setting day include two three-run home runs, a two-run shot, and a two-run triple to go with a single.  It was part of a big summer for the young center fielder as he would win both American League Rookie of the Year honors and the Most Valuable Player Award.

Zauchin, who had his one big year in the sun as the starting Red Sox third baseman in 1955, hit a two-run home run, a three-run home run, and a grand slam to go with an RBI double.  He finished third in the American League Rookie of the Year vote that season, but played in just 96 games over his next two seasons before being traded to the Washington Senators with minor leaguer Albie Pearson in exchange for future Red Sox All-Star second baseman Pete Runnels.

Author: fenfan

Lifelong Boston Red Sox fan, weekend web developer, and badly in need of sleep