There have only been 21 perfect games in Major League Baseball history, and none since 2012. It’s one of the rarest feats in sports. When a pitcher comes close, the whole baseball world stands still and watches.
The Mariners’ Mike Leake, a journeyman right-hander who had been knocked around in his previous start, had retired the first 24 batters he faced Friday night against the Angels. He entered the ninth inning needing just three more outs.
And so there was a sense of disappointment in most places when Luis Rengifo rolled a clean single through the right side of the infield to lead off the ninth inning and ruin the perfecto.
BROKEN UP: #Angels rookie Luis Rengifo singles off #Mariners righty Mike Leake to break up perfect game in the top of the 9th. #MLB https://t.co/9iyWY10Cnx pic.twitter.com/jJ5htMQDhe
— SportsCentre (@SportsCentre) July 20, 2019
An unlikely hero
Leake would have been one of the most unlikely members of the perfect game club. Even after Friday’s gem, he sports a career record of 101-95 and a middling ERA of 4.04.
In his previous start, he faced these same Angels and didn’t make it out of the first inning, allowing seven runs on eight hits in two-thirds of an inning. In an interesting twist, it was the Angels who fired a combined no-hitter in that game, the emotional night on which they honored fallen teammate Tyler Skaggs.
Mariners’ Mike Leake goes from wrong side of history to near perfection against Angels https://t.co/dQ8TE412JC
— MSN (@MSN) July 20, 2019
Still a great night
Leake settled for a one-hit shutout on 98 pitches. He walked one and struck out six and the Mariners, winless since the All-Star Break, won 10-0.
There’s no guarantee Leake will even complete the season with Seattle; the Mariners have been rumored to be shopping him before the July 31 trade deadline.
Mike Leake was perfect for eight innings, but he couldn’t nail down the final frame as the Mariners club the Angels 10-0. (via @shansonSeaTimes)https://t.co/sKVN1o4vul
— Seattle Times Sports (@SeaTimesSports) July 20, 2019
