Baltimore Orioles right-hander Kevin Gausman navigated a particularly memorable seventh inning against the Cleveland Indians on Monday night, striking out the side on nine pitches for the young season's first immaculate inning.
After allowing just two runs through six innings at Camden Yards, Gausman toyed with Cleveland's 6-7-8 hitters in the seventh, getting Yonder Alonso swinging on an 0-2 splitter to open the frame, then blowing away Yan Gomes with a 94-mph fastball before ringing up Bradley Zimmer on another heater to finish the job.
Gausman is the first Orioles pitches to toss an immaculate inning since Sept. 5, 1999, when left-hander B.J. Ryan - a rookie at the time - fanned Manny Ramirez, Jim Thome, and Richie Sexson on nine pitches in the sixth inning of a 15-7 loss to Cleveland.
Last year, eight different pitchers - Rick Porcello, Jose Alvarado, Dellin Betances, Carlos Carrasco, Kenley Jansen, Max Scherzer, Craig Kimbrel, and Drew Storen - recorded immaculate innings, the most in a single season since 2014.
