The New York Yankees achieved a remarkable feat on May 31 by scoring 13 runs in a single inning against the Athletics in West Sacramento. This set a record as the Yankees became the first team to score this many runs in one inning and no runs in the others in a victorious game.
Interestingly, the Yankees managed these runs exclusively in the third inning. They did not record any hits in the remaining seven innings. The anomaly put them in the company of only two other teams in Major League Baseball history to achieve such a feat: the Philadelphia Phillies in 2003 and the Atlanta Braves in 1972, as noted by the Elias Sports Bureau.
Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe got to bat twice in that eventful third inning, almost batting a third time before a Trent Grisham flyout ended the inning. Volpe commented on the unusual experience, saying, “It was crazy. It felt like I would run the bases, then I would get up, and I would have to put my stuff back on. So it was a cool feeling.”
The Yankees lineup got a chance to bat 18 times during the inning against three different Athletics pitchers. Despite the overwhelming lead, the Yankees relievers – Jack Perkins, Mark Leiter, Jr., Luis Medina, and José Suarez – performed solidly to conclude the game. Unfortunately, the decisive score made it difficult for the Athletics as the game slipped beyond reach after Perkins took over with two outs in the third.
This performance highlighted another significant record. The first 12 Yankees batters reached base safely in the third inning, tying the record for the most consecutive batters reaching safely before the first out during the expansion era. This achievement stood out as no other team had done it since MLB’s expansion from 16 teams in 1961.
Even the legendary 1927 Yankees, featuring icons Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, never managed to score 13 runs in a single inning. The franchise record for runs in an inning remains 14, set in 1920 during a game against the Washington Senators where Babe Ruth played a crucial role.
The historic achievement unfolded nearly 126 years later, showcasing the Yankees’ power in the third inning only.