Matt Cain's perfect game

Matt Cain's perfect game
	Matt Cain pitched the second perfect game of the 2012 Major League Baseball season.
0	10
Date	June 13, 2012
Venue	AT&T Park
City	San Francisco, California
Managers	Brad Mills (Houston Astros); Bruce Bochy (San Francisco Giants);
Attendance	42,298

On Wednesday, 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. Pitching against the Houston Astros at AT&T Park in San Francisco, California,^[1] Cain retired all 27 batters that he faced and tallied 14 strikeouts,^[2] 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.^[3]

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.^[4]

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.^[5] 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.^[6] The Giants recorded 10 runs, the most by any team in a perfect game. By scoring a run in the 5th inning, Cain became the only pitcher to have scored a run in his perfect game.

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.^[7]

Statistics[]

Linescore[]


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[]

Houston	AB	SO	AVG
Jordan Schafer, CF	3	2	.242
José Altuve, 2B	3	3	.321
Jed Lowrie, SS	3	1	.279
J. D. Martinez, LF	3	1	.226
Brett Wallace, 1B	3	3	.345
Chris Johnson, 3B	3	0	.280
Brian Bogusevic, RF	3	1	.224
Chris Snyder, C	3	1	.188
J. A. Happ, P	1	1	.087
Rhiner Cruz, P	0	0	.000
Brian Bixler, PH	1	1	.238
Xavier Cedeño, P	0	0	.000
Jason Castro, PH	1	0	.258
Totals	27	14	.000

FIELDING

DP: Lowrie-Altuve-Wallace.

Houston	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
J. A. Happ (L, 4–7)	3 1⁄3	11	8	8	1	5	2	5.33
Rhiner Cruz	1 2⁄3	2	2	2	1	0	1	7.40
Xavier Cedeño	3	2	0	0	0	1	0	2.45
Totals	8	15	10	10	2	6	3	11.25

San Francisco	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	AVG
Gregor Blanco, RF	5	1	2	3	0	1	.280
Ryan Theriot, 2B	4	2	2	0	0	0	.260
Emmanuel Burriss, 2B	1	0	0	0	0	0	.213
Melky Cabrera, LF	5	2	2	2	0	1	.367
Buster Posey, C	5	1	2	0	0	0	.294
Ángel Pagán, CF	4	0	0	0	1	2	.315
Pablo Sandoval, 3B	4	1	3	2	0	0	.309
Brandon Crawford, SS	0	0	0	0	0	0	.226
Brandon Belt, 1B	3	1	2	3	1	1	.238
Joaquín Arias, SS-3B	3	1	1	0	0	0	.237
Matt Cain, P	3	1	1	0	0	1	.188
Totals	37	10	15	10	2	6	.405

BATTING

2B: Arias, Joa (4, Happ); Posey (13, Happ); Sandoval (7, Cedeno).
HR: Cabrera, Me (5, 1st inning off Happ, 1 on, 1 out); Belt (2, 2nd inning off Happ, 1 on, 0 out); Blanco, G (4, 5th inning off Cruz, R, 1 on, 0 out)
TB: Theriot 2; Sandoval 4; Cain, M; Blanco, G 5; Arias, Joa 2; Belt 5; Posey 3; Cabrera, Me 5.
RBI: Cabrera, Me 2 (31); Belt 3 (22); Blanco, G 3 (15); Sandoval 2 (18).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Blanco, G 2; Arias, Joa 3.
SAC: Cain, M.
GIDP: Burriss.
Team RISP: 2-for-10.
Team LOB: 7.

San Francisco	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Matt Cain (W, 8–2)	9	0	0	0	0	14	0	2.18
Totals	9	0	0	0	0	14	0	0.00

Other info[]

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 (33 °C), clear.
Wind: 13 mph, Out to CF
Time: 2:36
Attendance: 42,298

^[8]

Reactions[]

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 NBC Sports Bay Area] were the one that told me it was a perfect game. I had never thought about that.
— Cain, responding to a fan question about when he realized he had not allowed a baserunner

Aftermath[]

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.^[6]

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.^[9]

References[]

^ 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.
^ Kroner, Steve (June 14, 2012). "Matt Cain throws perfect game as Giants win 10-0". SF Gate. San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved November 1, 2012.
^ "Cain Pitches 22nd Perfect Game in MLB as Giants Beat Astros". Bloomberg. June 13, 2012. Retrieved November 1, 2012.
^ Lee, Jay (June 14, 2012). "Blanco positions himself to save perfect game". MLB.com. Retrieved July 30, 2017.
^ "Houston Astros vs. San Francisco Giants – Recap – June 13, 2012 – ESPN". Scores.espn.go.com. Retrieved June 15, 2012.
^ ^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.
^ "Matt Cain gem gives Giants a perfect game at last".
^ "Boxscore: Houston Astros at San Francisco Giants". MLB.com. Retrieved June 13, 2012.
^ Hoffman, Benjamin (June 14, 2012). "Matt Cain's Perfection Matched by His Dominance". NYTimes.com. Retrieved June 15, 2012.

[aol.sportingnews.com-1] 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.

[SF_Gate-2] Kroner, Steve (June 14, 2012). "Matt Cain throws perfect game as Giants win 10-0". SF Gate. San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved November 1, 2012.

[3] "Cain Pitches 22nd Perfect Game in MLB as Giants Beat Astros". Bloomberg. June 13, 2012. Retrieved November 1, 2012.

[4] Lee, Jay (June 14, 2012). "Blanco positions himself to save perfect game". MLB.com. Retrieved July 30, 2017.

[5] "Houston Astros vs. San Francisco Giants – Recap – June 13, 2012 – ESPN". Scores.espn.go.com. Retrieved June 15, 2012.

[fox-6] s of 11:14 AM ET (April 7, 2010). "Matt Cain gem gives Giants a perfect game at last". Fox News. Retrieved June 15, 2012.

[7] "Matt Cain gem gives Giants a perfect game at last".

[8] "Boxscore: Houston Astros at San Francisco Giants". MLB.com. Retrieved June 13, 2012.

[9] Hoffman, Benjamin (June 14, 2012). "Matt Cain's Perfection Matched by His Dominance". NYTimes.com. Retrieved June 15, 2012.

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