Mets rookie Syndergaard flirts with perfect game, fires 8 shutout innings

New York Mets right-hander Noah Syndergaard lost his perfect game Tuesday against the San Diego Padres after Will Venable led off the seventh inning with a single up the middle.

Syndergaard retired the first 18 batters he faced - seven of them via strikeout - and got Justin Upton to ground into a double play to escape the inning. He tossed eight shutout frames, allowing three hits while striking out nine in the Mets' 4-0 victory.

"I don't think any of us could have predicted the rise to where he's at this fast," manager Terry Collins said postgame. "All the reports we got on him were good arm, command needs to be helped, secondary pitches sometimes are ineffective. I gotta tell you something, this guy has not shown any of that."

The 22-year-old rookie hurler has yet to throw a complete game in his young career, but has gone eight innings three times in 14 starts. Collins said he was willing to let Syndergaard throw up to 110 pitches in order to finish his perfect game attempt had it remained intact.

Johan Santana threw the only no-hitter in Mets franchise history on June 1, 2010, against the St. Louis Cardinals.

(Videos courtesy: MLB.com)