Running amok in Washington

Matt LeCroy

The Houston Astros 18 years ago today steal seven bases during an 8-5 loss to the Washington Nationals before a Thursday afternoon crowd of 24,733 at RFK Stadium.

All seven of those steals come against Matt LeCroy the Nationals’ third-string catcher who mercifully is pulled from the game by manager Frank Robinson with none out in the seventh inning — two batters after the Astros steal their seventh and final base.

The affable LeCroy, who later becomes a longtime manager in the minors of Washington’s Class AA affiliate in Harrisburg, totally understands his benching by Robinson.

“If my daddy was managing this team,” LeCroy says, “I’m sure he would have done the same thing.”