One Out from Perfect Game

Author:
SI Staff
Publish date:
Apr 3, 2013

One Out from Perfect Game

Yu Darvish

Yu Darvish had authored one of the most dominant pitching performances in major league history, striking out 14 of the 26 batters he had faced, when Astros shortstop Marwin Gonzalez came to the plate with two out in the ninth. On the first pitch, Gonzalez hit a low liner right back to the mound that had just enough speed, and bounced at just the right moment, to get through Darvish's legs before he could get his glove down. Darvish was then removed from the game, which Texas won 7-0.

Armando Galarraga

Armando Galarraga looked to have finished his perfect game when he got Cleveland's Jason Donald to ground to first with two outs in the top of the ninth. Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera ranged to his right, spun and threw to Galarraga covering first in time for the 27th out, but umpire Jim Joyce called Donald safe, a mistake he immediately realized upon seeing the video after the game. Galarraga then got Trevor Crowe to groundout, completing what has been called a 28-out perfect game but what is officially a one-hit shutout.

Mike Mussina

The best pitcher on this list, Mike Mussina retired the first 26 Red Sox he faced at Fenway Park in a game the Yankees led 1-0 going to the bottom of the ninth. After striking out Lou Merloni for his 13th K, Mussina got ahead of pinch-hitter Carl Everett, but on a 1-2 count, Everett singled to left. Mussina got the next man and the win, but never did throw a no-hitter in his career.

Brian Holman

Brian Holman took a perfect game into the ninth inning against the defending world champion A's in his third start of the year. However, with two outs in the bottom of the inning, former Mariner Ken Phelps hit a home run to rightfield. Holoman then struck out Rickey Henderson to end the game. Phelps' home run was the only one he would hit in 143 plate appearances that season and proved to be the last of his career.

Dave Stieb

By the time of this start Dave Stieb had lost three no-hitters in the ninth inning in his career, two with one out to go. On this day, he needed only to retire the Yankees' Roberto Kelly for a perfect game, but Kelly pulled a double down the leftfield line. He would then score on a single before Stieb got the last out. Stieb would finally get his no-hitter the following Sept. 2 in Cleveland.

Ron Robinson

Tom Browning threw a perfect game for the Reds on Sept. 16, 1988, but teammate Ron Robinson nearly beat him to it, retiring the first 26 Expos on May 2. Robinson got to two strikes on his 27th man, pinch-hitter Wallace Johnson, only to surrender a single on a hanging curveball. Robinson then allowed a home run to Tim Raines and was lifted for closer John Franco, who got the final out to nail down the win. Prior to Yu Darvish, Robinson was the only man to get to within one out of a perfect game and not ultimately record the 27th out.

Milt Wilcox

Long-time Tigers righty Wilcox retired the first 26 White Sox he faced in his second start of the 1983 season, but with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, pinch-hitter Jerry Hairston hit the first pitch he saw from Wilcox up the middle for a single. Wilcox then got Chicago centerfielder Rudy Law to ground out to first on the very next pitch complete the Tigers' 6-0 win.

Milt Pappas

Like Armando Galarraga, Pappas lost his perfect game with one out to go on a controversial call by the umpire. Facing Padres pinch-hitter Larry Stahl, Pappas just missed with a full-count pitch, in the judgement of home plate umpire Bruce Froemming. Pappas is still bitter about the debatable call, but recovered enough of his composure to stay in the game and get the next batter, pinch-hitter Garry Jestadt, to pop out for the no-hitter. Pappas and Wiltse remain the only two men ever to lose a perfect game with two outs in the ninth but still complete the no-hitter.

Billy Pierce

Lefty Billy Pierce had his number 19 retired by the White Sox, but he couldn't retire the 27th man he faced in this game, Senators pinch-hitter Ed Fitz Gerald. Fitz Gerald doubled before Pierce struck out centerfielder Albie Pearson to secure a disappointing 3-0 win.

Tommy Bridges

Long-time Tigers star hurler Bridges (center) set down the first 26 Senators he faced on Aug. 5. The 27th man was pinch-hitter Dave Harris, who would finish the season with a .327/.400/.538 batting line in 177 plate appearances. Harris singled. Bridges then retired Hall of Famer Sam Rice to finish Detroit's 13-0 win.

George "Hooks" Wiltse

The Giants' George "Hooks" Wiltse retired the first 26 Phillies he faced on Independence Day in 1908, but he hit the 27th, opposing pitcher George McQuillan, with a 2-2 pitch that, per Wiltse's SABR biography, never even should have been thrown. Home plate umpire Cy Rigler had called Wiltse's 1-2 pitch to McQuillan a ball, but later admitted that he had blown the call. Wiltse retired the next batter but the game went to extra innings, where the Giants won 1-0 and Wiltse completed his 10-inning no-hitter.