In a stunning performance San Francisco Giants starter Matt Cain tossed the first perfect game in franchise history tonight, winning 10-0 against the Houston Astros at AT&T Park.
Cain threw 125 pitches, 86 of which were strikes, to record the 22nd perfect game in Major League Baseball history. It was the first perfect game pitched for the Giants since the team was founded in 1883.
Matt Cain also went one for three with a single at the plate and scored a run in the Giants win. His 2012 record is now 8-2 with a .85 WHIP and a 2.18 ERA. MLB hitters are batting .192 against Cain this year, and he has 96 SO and 16 BB in 95 IP.
Cain’s 14 strikeouts tied LA Dodger pitcher Sandy Koufax for most Ks in a perfect game in MLB history. Koufax beat the Chicago Cubs 1-0 on September 9, 1965 at Dodgers Stadium.
Cain had absolute command of his fast ball and made several critical outs with change-ups as he faced and set down 27 Houston Astro hitters in a row. Giant hitters blasted three two-run home runs in the game– left fielder Melky Cabrera in the bottom of the 1st inning, first baseman Brandon Belt in the 2nd inning, and right fielder Gregor Blanco in the 5th inning.
A critical defensive play was made in the 7th inning by right fielder Blanco. Astro’s center fielder Jordan Schafer led off the 7th with a rocket shot to deep right center that looked like it would fall in for a sure hit. Gregor Blanco ran full tilt to track the ball down, lunging at the last moment to make a diving catch to save the no-hitter and perfect game. Cain later said he was stunned that Blanco managed to get that far over to center field to make such an impossible catch.
A sellout crowd of 42,298 watched Matt Cain make San Francisco Giants history on a pleasantly cool night along McCovey Cove. The Giants are currently 21-13, 3.5 games behind the LA Dodgers in the National League West. Their 21-13 home record this year is second best in all of baseball.
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