Four withdrawals. That’s all Triston McKenzie needed to achieve the perfect first game since 2012 in Major League Baseball. The Cleveland Indians pitcher can take comfort in telling himself that his team at least beat the Tigers 11-0 on Sunday in Detroit.
The baseball world held its breath for eight and two-thirds innings, but Harold Castro screwed it up for the 24-year-old gunner by hitting a single in right field. Surely disappointed, McKenzie still pulled Willi Castro out on catches five shots later.
It was nevertheless the second-year’s best career outing. McKenzie (2-5) took the dust off 11 batters in total. Emmanuel Clase completed the work in the ninth inning by striking out two Tigers on holds.
The last perfect major league game was in 2012, the year Philip Humber, Matt Cain and Felix Hernandez all made one. Since the era of the World Series, that is since 1903, only 21 pitchers have maintained an immaculate record in a game.
The Indians’ entire attack was concentrated in the second and third innings, where the visitors scored six and five points respectively. Of the lot, Amed Rosario and Jose Ramirez produced three points each. The latter notably hit his 26th long ball of the season.
In his first game in the majors since August 31, 2018, Drew Hutchison (0-1) had a tough afternoon. The 30-year-old pitcher allowed five hits, six runs – two of which were earned – and three walks in one and two-thirds inning.
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