Over the next week, theScore is ranking the 23 official perfect games in MLB history based on opposing lineup strength, the importance of the game, and the pitcher's performance. Today, we continue with Nos. 10-6.
23-21 | 20-16 | 15-11 | 10-6 | 5-1
10. Catfish Hunter, 1968
On this day in 1968, Catfish Hunter threw the ninth perfect game in Major League History. #RootedInOakland pic.twitter.com/wpzXIJyo9u
— Oakland A's (@Athletics) May 8, 2019
Date: May 8, 1968
Score: Oakland Athletics 4, Minnesota Twins 0
Site: Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
Pitches: 107
Game Score: 98
The A's were a month into their Oakland tenure when the 22-year-old became the youngest pitcher to throw a perfect game in the modern era, and the first to do it in a AL regular-season game since 1922. His gem - the first A's no-hitter since Connie Mack was their manager - was an exercise in both dominance and confidence.
Hunter struck out 11, including feared Twins slugger Harmon Killebrew three times. He relied almost solely on his fastball during the performance - catcher Jim Pagliaroni told reporters Hunter threw "no more than five curves all night" - and only shook off his catcher twice. Minnesota only worked two three-ball counts. Rod Carew's seventh-inning line drive that left fielder Joe Rudi corralled was one of the few close calls. With two out in the ninth, pinch-hitter Rich Reese fouled off five straight pitches after reaching a full count before Hunter finally struck him out to end it.
As if his perfect pitching wasn't enough, Hunter put on an offensive display unrivaled by anyone else on this list. He went 3-for-4 with a double and three RBIs, driving in the game-winning run on a bunt single in the seventh.
Even when taking into account that 1968 was the infamous "Year of the Pitcher" because offenses were historically bad, Hunter's perfect game stands out from the crowd.
9. Jim Bunning, 1964
Date: June 21, 1964
Score: Philadelphia Phillies 6, New York Mets 0
Site: Shea Stadium
Pitches: 90 (79 strikes)
Game Score: 97
It feels like Bunning's masterpiece has more storylines than runs scored by the Phillies. The father of seven children accomplished MLB's seventh perfecto on Father's Day with one of his daughters and wife at Shea Stadium. The right-hander also broke a major baseball taboo by speaking to his teammates while pitching a perfect game, which he later admitted was because keeping quiet didn't help him with his no-no a few weeks before.
Bunning only registered a mind-blowing 11 balls the entire game and fanned 10 batters, including six of the last nine Mets he faced. The Hall of Famer is one of only five hurlers to throw a no-hitter in both the American League and National League. His perfect game was also the first one recorded in the regular season since 1922.
It's too bad New York was a putrid 25 games under .500 when the two teams played. Bunning's performance might have been higher on this list if it wasn't for the quality of the opponent.
8. Roy Halladay, 2010
Date: May 29, 2010
Score: Philadelphia Phillies 1, Florida Marlins 0
Site: Sun Life Stadium
Pitches: 115 (72 strikes)
Game Score: 98
Eleven starts into his Phillies career, Halladay dismantled the Marlins with a perfect performance on a hot Miami night.
Doc struck out a season-high 11 batters, and unusually for him, only induced eight ground ball outs. When he did surrender contact, his infield defense stepped up. Third baseman Juan Castro and shortstop Wilson Valdez - who both started the game as injury replacements for Placido Polanco and Jimmy Rollins, respectively - each made game-saving defensive plays. Castro had to spin before throwing to first after ranging far to his left on the 27th out. Cavernous dimensions also aided Halladay: Mike Lamb's long fly ball to center field in the ninth would have likely been a home run in many parks, but merely pushed Shane Victorino to the warning track at Sun Life Stadium.
Halladay's perfect game came 20 days after Dallas Braden's in Oakland, which was the shortest span between perfectos in the modern era and the first time two were thrown in one season since 1880. About four months later, Halladay threw a one-walk no-hitter in the NLDS.
7. Felix Hernandez, 2012
Date: Aug. 15, 2012
Score: Seattle Mariners 1, Tampa Bay Rays 0
Site: Safeco Field
Pitches: 113 (77 strikes)
Game Score: 99
King Felix is the most recent pitcher to throw a perfect game - the 23rd in MLB history. His gem was actually the third one of the 2012 campaign, joining Philip Humber and Matt Cain. It was the first time three were thrown in the same season. Coincidentally, Humber's outing also took place at Safeco, which marked the first time two pefectos took place in the same ballpark in one season. Seattle is also the only team to both win and lose perfect games in the same year.
Hernandez carved up a competitive Rays team that featured Evan Longoria, Carlos Pena, and Ben Zobrist. He finished with 12 strikeouts, including a dramatic punch out of Sean Rodriguez to record the first perfect game by a Mariners hurler.
The six-time All-Star's performance marked the third time in four years that Tampa Bay was on the receiving end of a perfect game.
6. Matt Cain, 2012
Date: June 13, 2012
Score: San Francisco Giants 10, Houston Astros 0
Site: AT&T Park
Pitches: 125 (86 strikes)
Game Score: 101
In front of a packed house at AT&T Park, right-hander Matt Cain dug deep and willed himself into throwing 125 pitches against the Houston Astros to complete MLB's 22nd perfect game and first in Giants history.
Cain's career-high 14 strikeouts tied Sandy Koufax for the most during a perfect game, but his gem wasn't all about the Ks.
The Giants had Cain's back on the defensive end of things, too, with remarkable plays coming all over the field.
Melky Cabrera made a wall-scraping catch at the left-field fence in the sixth inning and Gregor Blanco's sensational diving grab in right-center field during the seventh helped preserve Cain's spot in history.
A tricky hop nearly fooled Giants third baseman Joaquin Arias in the ninth, but the infielder recovered in just enough time to record the final out of Cain's historic performance.
