Chicago Cubs pitcher Drew Smyly’s perfect game bid on Friday came to an end in the eighth inning and happened in the most unfortunate of ways.
Smyly had not allowed a baserunner over seven innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers and was facing off with outfielder David Peralta to open the penultimate inning of the contest. Peralta proceeded to put the ball in play on a swinging bunt, which sent both Smyly and catcher Yan Gomes scrambling to make a play.
Unfortunately, neither gave way to the other and the ensuing collision allowed Peralta to reach on one of the softest infield singles you will ever see.
A second angle showed that Smyly probably would have had a real chance to record the out on Peralta had he made the play unimpeded, though it would have been very close at first base.
There are definitely worse ways to lose a perfect game bid, but not many. There was no plausible way this could have been ruled an error either, which meant that Smyly did not even get a chance to preserve a no-hitter due to the snafu.
The Cubs had a 13-0 lead when Smyly lost his perfect game and he can at least console himself with a dominant performance against a great lineup in a blowout victory. But what could have been.
More must-reads: