Tampa Bay's Carl Crawford tied a modern-day major league record Sunday afternoon, when he stole his sixth base of the day in the eighth inning of the Rays' 5-3 win over Boston. The Tropicana Field crowd knew it before Crawford, as a message on the scoreboard immediately acknowledged the feat.

Despite a substantial climb in the decibel level at Tropicana Field, the Rays left fielder didn''t realize he had become only the fourth player since 1901 to steal as many bags in a single game until after his workday on the field was done.

"I wish I had known during the game," said Crawford, who had swiped second base in the eighth to tie the mark but didn't make a move for third.

"I probably would have broken it if I knew. I’d have definitely tried,” he added. “I didn’t even try. I don’t know if that will ever happen again."

One of the three other modern-era players with six steals in a game is Eddie Collins, the Hall of Fame second baseman who accomplished the feat twice in 1912. The other two are Otis Nixon and Eric Young, who did it in 1991 and 1996, respectively, and Young also had as many as five in a 2000 contest. He and Colorado rookie Dexter Fowler, who stole five bases in a 12-7 win over San Diego a week ago, are two of only nine players with five steals in a game over the last two decades.

Five Stolen Bases in a Game, 1989-2009
(doesn't include 6-steal performances)

Player. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Date. . . . . . . . . . . . .Opp
Dexter Fowler, Col. . . . . . 4/27/09. . . . . . . . . . . .SD
Willy Taveras, Col . . . . . . .6/14/08. . . . . . . . . . . CWS
Ryan Freel, Cin. . . . . . . . .7/29/05. . . . . . . . . . . LAD
Scarborough Green, Tex. . 9/28/00. . . . . . . . . . . Sea
Kenny Lofton, Cle. . . . . . .9/03/00. . . . . . . . . . . .Bal

Eric Young, ChC. . . . . . . .5/14/00. . . . . . . . . . . .Mon
Damian Jackson, SD. . . . . 6/28/99. . . . . . . . . . . .Col
Alex Cole, Cle. . . . . . . . . 5/03/92. . . . . . . . . . . .Cal
Alex Cole, Cle. . . . . . . . . 8/01/90. . . . . . . . . . . .KC
Rickey Henderson, Oak. . .7/29/89. . . . . . . . . . . Sea