Watch: Nicasio throws 1st immaculate inning of 2016
Juan Nicasio: Immaculate.https://t.co/78yn36V6c9
— Pirates (@Pirates) July 5, 2016
For just one inning Monday, Juan Nicasio was perfect.
The Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander completed baseball's first immaculate inning of 2016 during Monday's 4-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals. Nicasio took the mound in the eighth inning and proceeded to strike out Stephen Piscotty, Jhonny Peralta, and Yadier Molina on nine pitches. It's the third nine-pitch, three-strikeout inning in Pirates franchise history.
PIRATES' IMMACULATE INNINGS
| Date | Pitcher | Opponent | Inning | Hitters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7/7/1987 | Jeff Robinson | Cubs | 8th | Leon Durham; Andre Dawson; Rafael Palmeiro |
| 9/5/2009 | Ross Ohlendorf | Cardinals | 7th | Khalil Greene; Julio Lugo; Jason LaRue |
| 7/4/2016 | Juan Nicasio | Cardinals | 8th | Stephen Piscotty; Jhonny Peralta; Yadier Molina |
"Very joyful and grateful to be a part of that history. I just found out and it put a big smile on my face," Nicasio told MLB.com's Adam Berry through an interpreter. "The truth is my focus is just hitting the zone. I'm glad to be a part of that history."
Nicasio's immaculate inning was the 74th in major-league history, and the first since Santiago Casilla did it for the Giants on May 17 of last year.
The first immaculate inning was thrown by Hall of Famer John Clarkson on June 4, 1889.