Mariners Fans Recall A Historic Moment On This Date
A perfect game by an MLB pitcher is one of the most unusual occurrences in the league.
Only 24 perfect games have been thrown in the history of the game, and the league has been around since the late-1800s.
That’s how rare it is.
Before New York Yankees right-hander Domingo German threw one this year, the last one in MLB had been on this day, but 11 years ago.
It was thrown by Seattle Mariners legend Felix Hernandez, and fans made sure to remember such a magical day on Tuesday.
“August 15th. 11 years ago TODAY. Felix Hernandez forever a part of MLB and Mariners history. PERFECT game,” Seattle Mariners ON Tap tweeted.
August 15th. 11 years ago TODAY.
Felix Hernandez forever a part of MLB and Mariners history.
PERFECT game ? pic.twitter.com/Zh5xczBOre
— Seattle Mariners ON Tap (@MarinersONtap) August 15, 2023
That 2012 season was atypical in many respects, mainly because it had three perfect games: first, it was Phillip Humber, then Matt Cain, and the last one belonged to the “King”.
Hernandez needed 113 pitches to dominate the Tampa Bay Rays that afternoon in front of his fans.
He struck out 12 and not even one runner touched first base.
Hernandez was a joy to watch and was a real problem in his prime.
Since making his MLB debut in 2005 until 2016, he performed like an ace, making six All-Star teams and winning the 2010 American League Cy Young award.
His decline was fast, but he was one of the best pitchers in the American League for more than a decade.
If you told a young pitcher they will have Hernandez’s career, more than 95 percent of them would surely take that.
For a day in August in 2012, he was absolutely flawless.
To this day, it is one of the most impressive pitching performances this generation has seen.
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