Bruntlett turns game-ending unassisted triple play

Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Eric Bruntlett is congratulated by relief pitcher Eric Lidge (54) after he ended their MLB National League baseball game with the New York Mets by completing an unassisted triple play in the ninth inning in New York August 23, 2009.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Eric Bruntlett completed just the second game-ending unassisted triple play in Major League Baseball on Sunday, which helped the Philadelphia Phillies to a 9-7 victory over the New York Mets.

It was the 15th unassisted triple play recorded in the majors. The last was achieved by Cleveland Indians second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera in May, 2008.

Having already scored one run in the bottom of the ninth at Citi Field, New York had runners on first and second and were attempting a double steal.

Bruntlett raced over to second base to field a possible throw when Jeff Francoeur hit a sharp line drive up the middle that Bruntlett caught for the first out.

He then stepped on second base to double up Luis Castillo and tagged Daniel Murphy to seal the win. The Phillies then came streaming out of the dugout to congratulate the second baseman.

"It's hard to know how to react to it," Bruntlett said on Major League Baseball's website (www.mlb.com). "I was almost laughing. That doesn't happen. What do you do there? Game is over. High fives."

Detroit Tigers first baseman John Neun turned the only other game-ending unassisted triple play against the Cleveland Indians on May 31, 1927.

"It was the most unbelievable play I've ever been involved in," Francoeur said. "And the sickest."

(Writing by Steve Ginsburg in Washington; editing by Greg Stutchbury)