The motorist convicted of murder for driving drunk in the car crash that killed Los Angeles Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart was sentenced to 51 years to life on Wednesday.

Prosecutors said they sought the maximum term for Andrew Gallo, 24, because the pitcher and two other people died in the crash and his blood-alcohol level was nearly three times the legal limit.

Gallo was on probation for a previous drunken driving offense at the time.

A jury in September convicted Gallo on three counts of second-degree murder for causing the April 9, 2009, wreck, which took Adenhart's life just hours after he threw six shutout innings against the Oakland Athletics.

Also killed were Adenhart's girlfriend, Courtney Stewart, 20, and his friend Henry Pearson, 25.