San Francisco Giants pitcher Yusmeiro Petit came within one out, and one foot, of joining Jim Bunning and six other pitchers as the only NL pitchers to throw perfect games since 1880. Petit dominated 26 of 28 Arizona batters, allowing only a 6th inning line drive to left by Patrick Corbin, the opposing pitcher who is ranked No. 1 at www.valueaddbasketball.com, and a line drive to right by Eric Chavez with two outs in the ninth.
Bunning was a Hall-of-Famer who issued the key endorsement of Rand Paul in his race for US Senate, while Petit was an unknown pitcher with a career ERA over 5.00 making only his third start of the season Friday night.
Defensive replacement Juan Perez made a diving catch on the first line drive, and Hunter Pence came up just short of ending the game with a diving catch on the latter that would have secured Petit’s place in history with Matt Cain, Roy Halladay, Randy Johnson, Dennis Martinez, Tom Browning, Sandy Koufax, Bunning and two pitchers from 1880 in Monte Ward and Lee Richmond as the only pitchers to ever throw NL Perfect Games.
Less than two weeks ago the pitching match-up would have appeared a complete mismatch as the Diamondbacks were 21-4 with Corbin on the hill and Petit had only one relief appearance this year and a career ERA of over 5.00. However, since then Corbin is now 0-3 and Petit is 3-0 and lowered his season ERA to 1.57 this season through Friday’s game, in which both pitchers threw complete games.
Pence had a perfect game of his own in a sense except for not being able to get to the line drive to end the game. Pence drew the only walk that Corbin allowed, scored the only three runs for the Giants, went three for three and had the only two extra base hits off of Corbin with a double and a home run.
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