11th Perfect Game

biggerpapi5,000+ posts

ESPN Classic just showed Kenny Rogers' 1994 perfect game with Texas beating the California Angels 4-0. Pudge Rodriguez, Will Clark and Jose Canseco played for the Rangers while Jim Edmonds (rookie) and Bo Jackson took the field for the Angels.

Rusty Greer made a diving catch in center to keep the perfect game intact in the 9th (a lot like Duane Wise's catch for Buerhle this week).

Anyway, my questions is...does a perfect game also count as a no-hitter? To date, I believe there have been only 18 perfect games in history. I don't know the exact number, but the total number of no-hitters is relatively small, especially in comparison to the total number of games.

I took this picture this summer at the National Baseball Hall of Fame. This display has a ball to represent each no hitter in MLB history.

7/28/098:59 PM

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piaa_ump5,000+ posts

quote:
Anyway, my questions is...does a perfect game also count as a no-hitter?

Yes...a perfect game is the ultimate no hitter...27 up, 27 down......A perfect game is defined by Major League Baseball as a game in which a pitcher (or combination of pitchers) pitches a victory that lasts a minimum of nine innings and in which no opposing player reaches base.

The pitcher (or pitchers) cannot allow any hits, walks, hit batsmen, or any opposing player to reach base safely for any other reason—in short, "27 up, 27 down".

By definition, a perfect game must be both a no-hitter and a shutout. Since the pitcher cannot control whether or not his teammates commit any errors, the pitcher must be backed up by solid fielding to pitch a perfect game. An error that does not allow a baserunner, such as a misplayed foul ball, does not spoil a perfect game.

7/28/099:04 PM

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JPontiac500+ posts

How about this situation?

A ball goes through the second baseman's legs (error), but batter is thrown out at second base by right fielder. Perfect game?

7/28/099:13 PM

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RPD100+ posts

Nope -- he reached first safely because of the error.

7/28/099:32 PM

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MN-MomHSBaseballWeb Owner

JPontiac, I believe that play would null the perfect game in progress, since the batter reached 1B safely before being thrown out at 2B.

Speaking of Buehrle's perfect game, he just set a new MLB record tonight while pitching here in Minneapolis against the Twins. (My younger son is at the game, still in progress.)

"Mark Buehrle set the Major League record for most consecutive batters retired by setting down the first 17 Twins hitters on Tuesday at the Metrodome, giving him 45 straight without a baserunner."

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/articl...b&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

(Fortunately the Twins finally scored some runs and are now leading division rival Whitesox.)