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Matt Cain's perfect game

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Matt Cain's perfect game
Matt Cain in 2007
Houston Astros San Francisco Giants
0 10
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Houston Astros 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
San Francisco Giants 2 3 2 1 2 0 0 0 0 10 15 0
DateJune 13, 2012
VenueAT&T Park
CitySan Francisco, California
Managers
Attendance42,298
TelevisionComcast SportsNet Bay Area
TV announcersDuane Kuiper (play-by-play/color commentary)
Jon Miller (play-by-play/color commentary)
Dave Flemming (play-by-play during middle innings)
RadioKNBR
Radio announcersDave Flemming (play-by-play)
Duane Kuiper (play-by-play during middle innings)

On June 13, 2012, Matt Cain of the San Francisco Giants pitched the 22nd perfect game in Major League Baseball (MLB) history and the first in Giants' franchise history. Prior to the game, Cain and professional golfer Dustin Johnson hit golf balls from home plate into McCovey Cove.[1] Pitching against the Houston Astros at AT&T Park in San Francisco, California,[2] Cain retired all 27 batters that he faced and tallied 14 strikeouts,[3] tied for the most strikeouts in a perfect game with Sandy Koufax of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1965. Following Philip Humber's perfect game earlier in 2012, Cain's performance marked just the third season in MLB history in which multiple perfect games were thrown. In June 1880, Lee Richmond and John Montgomery Ward both threw perfect games; in May 2010 Dallas Braden and Roy Halladay both accomplished the feat.[4]

Two notable defensive plays by Cain's teammates kept the perfect game intact. Melky Cabrera made a running catch at the wall in left field in the top of the sixth inning, while Gregor Blanco made a diving catch in right-center field to start the top of the seventh.[5]

It was the first Giants no-hitter since left-hander Jonathan Sánchez threw one on July 10, 2009, against the San Diego Padres at AT&T Park. The Astros were no-hit for the fifth time in franchise history, and the first time since Carlos Zambrano threw a no-hitter for the Chicago Cubs on September 14, 2008 at Miller Park (moved from Minute Maid Park because of Hurricane Ike). It was the second time the Astros were no-hit by the Giants; Juan Marichal did it on June 15, 1963.[6] It was also the first time in Astros history that no one reached base safely.

Cain surpassed his previous personal best of 12 strikeouts in a single game, which he set in 2006. Cain's 125 pitches were the most thrown in a Major League perfect game.[7] The Giants recorded 10 runs, the second most by any team in a perfect game after the New York Yankees who scored 11 runs during Domingo Germán's perfect game.[8] By scoring a run in the 5th inning, Cain became the only pitcher to have scored a run in his perfect game, a distinction which will likely stand in perpetuity following the National League's permanent adoption of the designated hitter beginning in the 2022 season.

The final out was made by Astros pinch-hitter Jason Castro. Castro chopped a 1-2 pitch to third base where it was fielded deep behind the bag by third baseman Joaquin Arias. Arias successfully made the long throw across the diamond to first baseman Brandon Belt, who then tucked the ball in his back pocket before joining his teammates on the mound in celebration.[9]

Duane Kuiper and Jon Miller (as Mike Krukow was absent)[why?] were announcing on Comcast SportsNet Bay Area while Dave Flemming was on KNBR. Kuiper and Flemming switched spots on TV and radio during the middle innings.

Statistics

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Linescore

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Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Houston Astros (26–36) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
San Francisco Giants (36–27) 2 3 2 1 2 0 0 0 X 10 15 0
WP: Matt Cain (8–2)   LP: J. A. Happ (4–7)
Home runs:
HOU: None
SF: Melky Cabrera (5), Brandon Belt (2), Gregor Blanco (4)

Box score

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Other info

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  • HBP: Arias, Joa (by Happ).
  • Pitches-strikes: Happ 86–53; Cruz, R 28–15; Cedeno 40–29; Cain, M 125–86.
  • Groundouts-flyouts: Happ 3–0; Cruz, R 3–1; Cedeno 6–1; Cain, M 6–6.
  • Batters faced: Happ 23; Cruz, R 8; Cedeno 10; Cain, M 27.
  • Inherited runners-scored: Cruz, R 3-1.
  • Umpires: HP: Ted Barrett; 1B: Mike Muchlinski; 2B: Angel Campos; 3B: Brian Runge.
  • Weather: 59 °F (15 °C), clear.
  • Wind: 13 mph, Out to CF
  • Time: 2:36
  • Attendance: 42,298

[10]

Reactions

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And this is hit out into the alleyway, a long run for Blanco, and Blanco's gonna dive, and he makes the catch! Just an unbelievable catch by Gregor Blanco!

— Duane Kuiper calls Gregor Blanco's diving catch in the 7th inning.

Here's the 3-2 pitch on the way. And it is driven to right center field, on the move Blanco, sprinting back, Gregor Blanco reaches out, DIVING, HE CAUGHT IT!

— Giants radio call of Blanco's catch.

Cain appeared to look around. Gazing at the upper deck. But now looking into Buster Posey. One ball and two strikes. On the ground, Arias, from deep third, got him! And that's a perfect game!

— Kuiper calls the final out.

I knew that I hadn't given up a hit early in the game, whether it was the third or fourth inning. But you (Amy G of CSN Bay Area) were the one that told me it was a perfect game. I had never thought about that.

— Cain, responding to a reporter's question about when he realized he had not allowed a baserunner.

Aftermath

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Cain's cleats, hat, uniform, dirt taken from the pitcher's mound, and a ball from the game will be included in an exhibit in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. All four umpires signed a game ball for Cain, and Belt gave Cain the ball used to record the final out.[7]

According to Bill James' game score statistic, Cain's perfect game tied Sandy Koufax's perfect game for the most dominant modern-era perfect game.[11]

The perfect game would be the first no-hitter thrown by Giants pitching in four consecutive seasons, as Tim Lincecum would no-hit the San Diego Padres in both 2013 (in San Diego) and 2014 (in San Francisco), and Chris Heston would no-hit the New York Mets during his rookie season. Lincecum's first no-hitter came only eleven days after being the losing pitcher when the Giants were no-hit by Homer Bailey of the Cincinnati Reds.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Pavlovic, Alex. "Cain recalls unique pregame swing that led to perfect game". nbcsports.com. NBC Sports. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  2. ^ Crossman, Matt. "Matt Cain's perfect game adds catcher Buster Posey to select fraternity". aol.sportingnews.com. Huffington Post Media Group. Retrieved November 1, 2012.
  3. ^ Kroner, Steve (June 14, 2012). "Matt Cain throws perfect game as Giants win 10-0". SF Gate. San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved November 1, 2012.
  4. ^ "Cain Pitches 22nd Perfect Game in MLB as Giants Beat Astros". Bloomberg. June 13, 2012. Retrieved November 1, 2012.
  5. ^ Lee, Jay (June 14, 2012). "Blanco positions himself to save perfect game". MLB.com. Retrieved July 30, 2017.
  6. ^ "Houston Astros vs. San Francisco Giants – Recap – June 13, 2012 – ESPN". ESPN. Archived from the original on August 17, 2016. Retrieved June 15, 2012.
  7. ^ a b as of 11:14 AM ET (April 7, 2010). "Matt Cain gem gives Giants a perfect game at last". Fox News. Retrieved June 15, 2012.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ New York Yankees vs Oakland Athletics Box Score: June 28, 2023, June 28, 2023, archived from the original on July 3, 2023, retrieved July 2, 2023
  9. ^ "Matt Cain gem gives Giants a perfect game at last".
  10. ^ "Boxscore: Houston Astros at San Francisco Giants". MLB.com. Retrieved June 13, 2012.
  11. ^ Hoffman, Benjamin (June 14, 2012). "Matt Cain's Perfection Matched by His Dominance". The New York Times. Retrieved June 15, 2012.
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