Pagan hits 1st inside-the-park HR at Nationals Park, starts Mets’ 1st triple play since 2002

Pagan hits inside-the-park HR, starts triple play

WASHINGTON — New York Mets center fielder Angel Pagan hit an inside-the-park home run and started a triple play Wednesday night, making him the first player in 55 years to take part in both feats in the same game.

Pagan hit the first inside-the-park home run in Nationals Park history in the fourth inning. An inning later, his shoestring catch led to the Mets’ first triple play since 2002.

Phillies shortstop Ted Kazanski was the last player to do both, on Sept. 25, 1955, for Philadelphia against the New York Giants, the Elias Sports Bureau said. That was also the last time a team pulled a triple play and hit an inside-the-parker in the same game, Elias said.

Pagan’s homer came in Washington’s third season at its ballpark.

The Nationals put runners on first and second with no outs in the fifth. Cristian Guzman hit a sinking liner and Pagan rushed in to make a shoestring catch in center field.

The runners kept going and Pagan threw home, just in case. Catcher Henry Blanco tossed the ball to shortstop Jose Reyes at second base to double off Livan Hernandez. Reyes relayed to first baseman Ike Davis to catch Nyjer Morgan to complete the Mets’ 10th triple play.

Crew chief Tim Tschida briefly huddled with the other base umpires before affirming the call.

The Mets’ last triple play came May 17, 2002, against San Diego, an around-the-horn play on a groundball by Wiki Gonzalez.

The last time the Montreal/Washington franchise hit into a triple play was July 28, 2002, when Vladimir Guerrero of the Expos hit a line drive to Florida third baseman Mike Lowell.