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Out of control Ankiel ties record with five wild pitches in inning
ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Rick Ankiel became the first pitcher in 110 years to throw five wild pitches in one inning of a major league game. The St. Louis Cardinals rookie lost control in the third inning of Tuesday's postseason opener against the Atlanta Braves and also walked four in the inning. The only other time five wild pitches were thrown in one inning of a major league game was on Sept. 15, 1890, when Bert Cunningham did it for Buffalo of the Players League in the first inning of the second game of a doubleheader. The Players League lasted just that one season but is considered a major league. The American League record of four was set by Hall of Famer Walter Johnson for Washington on Sept. 21, 1914, in the fourth inning. The National League record, also four, was set by Hall of Famer Phil Niekro. The knuckleballer did it for Atlanta on Aug. 4, 1979, in the fifth inning of the second game of a doubleheader. No pitcher had ever thrown more than two wild pitches in an inning or three during a game during the postseason, and Ankiel broke the record for wild pitches in a postseason series -- and career.
Tommy John of the California Angels threw three during the 1982 AL championship series against Milwaukee -- all in Game 4 -- and Juan Guzman of the Toronto Blue Jays threw three during Game 1 of the 1993 AL championship series against the Chicago White Sox. All but one of Ankiel's wild pitches were fastballs, most of them high over the head of catcher Carlos Hernandez. The fifth was a curve that bounced about five feet in front of the plate. Hernandez also made a leaping grab to prevent what would have been another. Ankiel, a surprise choice of manager Tony La Russa over 20-game winner Darryl Kile to open the playoffs, threw 12 wild pitches in 175 regular-season innings. Ankiel, who is also scheduled to pitch in Game 4 Sunday in Atlanta, threw 66 pitches in 2 2/3 innings. Only 32 were strikes and he walked six in all. Ankiel, who allowed four runs in the inning after St. Louis backed him with a 6-0 lead in the first, opened the third with a four-pitch walk to pitcher Greg Maddux, then threw a fifth ball before getting a visit from pitching coach Dave Duncan. La Russa didn't start warming up a reliever until Brian Jordan, the sixth batter of the inning, hit an RBI single. Mike James got the final out of the third.
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