Felix Hernandez has just thrown the first perfect game in Seattle Mariners history vs. the Tampa BayRays at Safeco Field—27 up, 27 down. King Felix struck out 12 on 113 pitches in a dominating performance, fanning two of the three batters in the top of the ninth to lock down his first perfect game, winning 1-0. This was the 23rd perfect game in Major League history and the third this season—Philip Humber of the Chicago White Sox threw one against Seattle in April and San Francisco's Matt Cain pitched one vs. the Astros in June.
Within the last four years the Tampa Bay Rays have been no-hit four times with three of them being perfect—the most by any team in that stretch. Mark Buehrle as a member of the White Sox and Oakland's Dallas Braden threw perfect games against them in 2009 and 2010, respectively. While Edwin Jackson, now with the Nationals, no-hit the Rays in 2010 as well. Tampa Bay is the only team in baseball history to have three perfect games against them.
Hernandez is 11-5 on the season, with a 2.60 ERA and 174 strikeouts.
This will definitely make it more difficult for Seattle to part ways with their young ace.
[via Seattle Times]
