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27 up, 27 down. No base runners of any kind. That’s what it takes to throw a perfect game. And, just after midnight on June 29, 2023 Eastern Time and just after 9PM local time in Oakland, New York Yankees pitcher Domingo Germán just threw the 24th perfect game in the history of Major League Baseball.
To make it more incredible, Germán had been absolutely lit up in his last two starts for the Pinstripes, giving up 17 runs, with his spot in the rotation in jeopardy. But, no one will ever remember those two starts now.
Here’s the final out. Quite a nice play by former Gold Glove-winner Josh Donaldson at 3rd.
DOMINGO GERMAN JOINS THE HISTORY BOOKS WITH A PERFECT GAME pic.twitter.com/g5qLVnT6XU
— Dillard Barnhart (@BarnHasSpoken2) June 29, 2023
Of course, just like any perfect game, there was a great defensive play that kept it alive. While this one was early in the game, this stop by Anthony Rizzo made a perfect game by Domingo Germán possible.
This play saved it all from Rizzo. Crazy pic.twitter.com/3qzwzi3Ua5
— Eric Hubbs (@BarstoolHubbs) June 29, 2023
Domingo Germán threw an impressive 99 pitches total, and the 30-year-old Dominican got 72 over for strikes. He struck out nine, and obviously walked none with no hits.
He becomes the fourth New York Yankee to throw a perfect game, following Don Larsen in the 1956 World Series, David Wells in 1998, and David Cone in 1999.