Being the first to third

Chris Michalak with the Blue Jays

More than a decade before becoming the Class AA Harrisburg Senators’ pitching coach, rookie left-handed pitcher Chris Michalak makes some history 25 years ago today as a hitter.‍

Playing then for the Toronto Blue Jays, Michalak becomes the first pitcher in major league history to record a triple in his first official at-bat.

Michalak’s hit comes against Montreal’s Tony Armas Jr. with two outs in the sixth inning of the Blue Jays’ 4-1 loss to the Expos in an interleague game before a Sunday afternoon crowd of 8,440 at Olympic Stadium.

Michalak, who successfully puts down two sacrifice bunts earlier in the game, lines Armas’ 1-2 pitch into the gap in right-center, landing between Milton Bradley in center and Vladimir Guerrero in right.

Michalak lasts one more inning in what turns out to be a no-decision in which he allows just one run on three hits through seven innings.

Michalak ends up pitching all or parts of four seasons in the majors and finishes with three hits in 11 career at-bats.

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