No swings needed as Nationals' Harper walks into record books

Bryce Harper walked into the major league record books Thursday - and never took the bat off his shoulder.

Harper managed to fill up the box score without taking one swing in the Washington Nationals' 15-1 romp over the Atlanta Braves. Harper walked in all four plate appearances, scoring each time, and even managed to collect an RBI by drawing a bases-loaded base on balls.

The 22-year-old right fielder sought to downplay the significance of his achievement, but he became the first player since 1914 to score four times and drive in a run without an official at-bat in four plate appearances.

Harper joined some select company with his 0-for-4, four-walk, four-run stat line. The only other players to accomplish it were a trio of Hall of Famers - Rickey Henderson (1989), Joe Morgan (1973) and Larry Doby (1951).

“I’ve done it in high school. I’ve done it in college. I did it when I was like 10 years old," said Harper, who faced only 20 pitches - four for strikes - one night after leaving a game due to tightness in his left glute. 

The National League leader with a .331 batting average, Harper put up similar numbers against the Colorado Rockies on Aug. 18, drawing four walks and scoring four times in an 0-for-2 performance.

(h/t Washington Post)