Yankees pitcher throws first perfect game since 2012
For only the 24th time in MLB history and the first time since Felix Hernández did it in 2012, a perfect game was thrown. New York Yankees pitcher Domingo German achieved the feat Wednesday night versus the Oakland Athletics in the Yankees' 11-0 victory.
With nine strikeouts over the nine innings, German managed to complete the masterpiece performance in only 99 pitches. German joins David Cone, David Wells and Don Larsen as the only Yankees to throw a perfect game. With four they now have the most by a team in AL/NL history, breaking their tie with the Chicago White Sox.
Coming off back-to-back terrible starts, allowing 17 runs in only five and one-third innings pitched he watched his ERA balloon from 3.49 to 5.10 after those two starts. With the possibility of losing his job with another bad start, German responded with the best game of his career and one that he will have trouble topping.
In a postgame interview, German revealed that his uncle had died two days before his start. "I cried a lot yesterday in the clubhouse, I had him with me throughout the whole game...this game is a tribute to him," German stated through a translator.
German also became the first pitcher born in the Dominican Republic to throw a perfect game, another special moment for the 30-year-old right-hander.
The Yankees will hope that this start will get him back on track as they try to hold on to a wild-card spot while chasing down the division-leading Tampa Bay Rays.
More must-reads: