Introduction
I was there!
It is still hard for me to believe that I attended one of the greatest games in the history of major league baseball. I saw Matt “The Horse” Cain throw a 125 pitch (86 strikes, 39 balls) masterpiece – 27 up, 27 down in 2 hours and 36 minutes on a mild, breezy night (59 degrees, clear with a 13 mph wind out of center field) at AT&T Park in downtown San Francisco. Cain induced 6 groundouts, 6 fly outs with 14 strikeouts in a 10-0 trouncing of the Houston Astros (26-26 in the National League Central Division). In the 143 years of major league baseball there have been only 23 perfect games with 21 since 1900 or the so-called modern era. Cain’s gem may even have been the best of those 21 – perhaps the greatest game ever pitched. Cain accomplished something no Giant’s pitcher had ever done – including Hall of Fame greats like Juan Marichal, Christy Mathewson, and Carl Hubbell. This was the first perfect game in a rich Giant’s history that goes back to the New York Giant’s franchise that got started back in 1883 or 143 years ago
As a fan of the game and a die-hard Giant’s fan since grammar school, I feel blessed that I was able to witness something of such historical significance. I have had the privilege of attending some special games including the Giants wins at home in the first two games of the 2010 World Series and World Championship season (the team’s first since 1954) and I have seen many significant records broken — most notably Bond’s recent HR feats. I have seen the greatness of many Hall of Famers like Willie Mays, Juan Marichal, Orlando Cepeda, Gaylord Perry, and Willie McCovey at Candlestick Park but never have I witnessed something of this magnitude. I was not there in 1954 for May’s “catch” in the 1954 World Series against the Cleveland Indians or Bobby Thompson’s “shot heard around the world” against the Dodgers when the Giants won the National League pennant in 1951 but this night of perfection certainly ranks up there with those events.
Cain is popular with the fans and his teammates. He is very easy going and approachable, seems quite mature for his 27 years, and has always had a strong work ethic. As Bruce Jenkins wrote on page one of the San Francisco Chronicle the day after his accomplishment – “That’s what the fans love about Cain: his humility, and the fact that he never, ever strays from character.”
Part of his popularity is the fact he seems to take the game in stride especially given the minimal run support the Giants have provided him in his starts over his 6+ years with the club. The Giant’s batting has taken a lot of criticism over the past couple of years – especially last year (2011) when they ranked at or near the bottom of most key offensive categories – HRs, RBIs, OBP, etc. And, Matt Cain has often been the recipient of that limited offense. In 2011, Cain threw 221 innings, had 179 strikeouts and a stellar 1.08 WHIP only to end the regular season at just one game over .500 at 12-11. His career win loss record (77-75 as of June 20, 2012), given a 3.28 ERA and 1.18 WHIP along with 1173 strikeouts in 1417 innings further shows the lack of run support when Cain in on the mound.
Two-Time Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum said it best – “It’s almost divine intervention in the way it works out like that, like it’s almost meant to be. And for a guy that’s gone through what he’s gone through in his career – I mean, I think his career record is almost .500. For him to pitch as well as he has and not get back what he should have, it came back in a big way. It’s turning around for him and that is the way it should be.”
I have been lucky enough to see 3 other no-hitters –
- Juan Nieves with the Milwaukee Brewers (in the American League team back then) against the Baltimore Orioles and Mike Flanagan at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland on a Wednesday afternoon on April 15th, 1987
- Kevin Brown with the Florida Marlins versus the Giants on a sunny afternoon at Candlestick Park on June 10th 1997 where the only base runner was Marvin Bernard who was hit by a Brown fastball on a 1 ball, 2 strike count with 2 outs in the eight inning. William Van Landingham had a no hitter into the seventh inning in the Marlins 3-0 victory over the Giants that afternoon.
- Jonathan Sanchez against the San Diego Padres on July 10th, 2009 at AT&T Park to become the first Giant since John Montefusco in 1976 (against the Atlanta Braves) to throw a no-hitter for the Giants. The best part of this experience was being with my 16 year old son Jackson and his best friend Daniel to witness this event!
Other exciting baseball memories for me include attending All-Star games (2007 at AT&T and in 1993 at Oriole Park in Camden Yards) and watching the best players in the game, seeing some exciting playoff (and World Series) games including 2002 NLCS where Kenny Loften’s game winning hit (versus the St. Louis Cardinals) to put the Giants into the 2002 World Series. I can also say I saw many of Barry Bond’s big home runs including his 700th along with 73rd and 74th home runs. But, nothing was as exciting as seeing Matt Cain throw this perfecto!
I will examine this exciting event as I experienced it from my Field Club Seats in Section 121, Row R on the isle (seat 15) along with a friend (James Armstrong visiting from Anchorage Alaska) and 42,296 others.
The Game
Innings 1-5 – a Giant’s Offensive Explosion!
From the start you thought this might be something special. Cain has electric stuff and that electricity could be felt as he mowed down the first three Astro hitters – Jordan Schafer, Jose Altuve, and Jed Lowrie – Schafer and Altuve on swing and miss strikeouts on a total of 6 pitches. Lowrie then fouled out to third basemen Joaquin Arias on a 1-1 fastball to end the inning. In the second inning Cain got a fly out to center, a swinging strike three, and a groundout to shortstop from J.D. Martinez, Brett Wallace, and Chris Johnson in that order. A ground out to second from Brian Bogusevic and then Cain’s fifth and sixth strikeouts of Chris Synder and J.A. Happ wrapped up the third inning.
In the meantime, the Giants were supporting Cain with a strong offensive effort beginning with Melky Cabrera’s 2 run home run into the left field bleachers in the first inning. In the second inning, after a Pablo Sandoval single to right field, Brandon Belt hit a rocket to straight away center – a 430 foot blast into the center field bleachers to make it 4-0 Giants. Cain made a contribution when he sacrificed Arias to third after he had doubled. Gregor Blanco’s groundout scored Arias to make it 5-0 Giants after two innings.
The Giants continued their offensive explosion with a couple of runs in the third inning on RBI singles from Sandoval and Belt, scoring Cabrera and Posey (Cabrera has singled and Posey hit a double to deep left to lead off the inning. A single run on a ground out by Sandoval (scoring Ryan Theriot who had led off the inning with a single) in the fourth made it 8-0 Giants. Then in the fifth inning, Gregor Blanco hit a 2 run home run (off the new Astro’s pitcher Rhiner Cruz who had relieved Happ in the top of the fourth inning) – a high, majestic blast into the right field arcade –- scoring Cain who had singled to left field. So, it was 10-0 Giants after five innings.
Bruce Jenkin’s (SF Chronicle writer) – “it was fitting, then, that the team handed Cain 10 runs and all the comfort he needed.” Cain and Posey were in total synch, later saying “I can’t thank Buster enough. I never questioned him once. He was going to have me throw whatever he wanted and I was gonna let him go.”
With the massive run support, Cain showed his appreciation by continuing to mow down the Astros in the 4th and 5th innings. Leading off the fourth inning Jordan Shafer battled Cain with a 10 pitch at bat, fouling off several pitches before a swinging strike three. Altuve took a called third strike and Jed Lowrie fouled out to Cabrera in left field to end the inning after 22 pitches from Cain. Much of the same in the fifth with a called strike three to J.D. Martinez and then a swing and miss strikeout of Brett Wallace. Chris Johnson’s ground out to Theriot at second ended the fifth. Fifteen up, fifteen down.
5th Inning – quote from David Schoenfield (ESPNs Sweet Spot) – “I flipped the game on in the bottom of the fourth, then watched Cain destroy J.D. Martinez and Brett Wallace, and Chris Johnson with an array of nasty pitches in the top of the fifth and immediately thought: he has a chance.” In the bottom of the fourth it was noteworthy that Jordan Shafer did hit a “soft liner” that landed just foul after going over the first base bag. Kuip said, “Some thought it was fair but called foul”. Miller added – “some people may have thought it hit the back of the first base bag even.”
From the radio booth (Mike Krukow) — “Cain had all four of his pitches (fastball, slider, changeup, split finger) working and he was locating or hitting his spots.”
Sixth Inning
James and I looked up at the scoreboard as the fifth inning ended and acknowledged that 15 Astros had come and gone without a blemish. I turned around to Bruce and Barbara, my longtime Season Ticketholder friends from Sabastapol and smiled. Bruce was keeping score and recording each and every out. He didn’t say a word to me, as we both knew Cain was on his game and that we were enjoying something special.
As the Giants went onto the field in the sixth inning, I walked down a couple of rows to say hello to Brian Bigon, the attendant in our section. I have known Brian since the park opened over 11 years ago. I said to Brian — “Cain hasn’t allowed a base runner!”. Brian acknowledged my comment but said he didn’t want to talk about as we might jinx Cain. I said, “Ok, I’ll shut up. Let’s keep our fingers crossed. I’m rooting for him.”
Bochy, looking to tighten up his defense, brought in Emanuel Burriss to replace Ryan Theriot at second base. Brian Bogusevic led off the sixth inning and struck out on a called third strike. Then Chris Synder came up and hit the first pitch to deep left centerfield. Cain and others – including me – thought by the sound of the ball off the bat that it might be headed into the left field bleachers. But Melky Cabrera calmly stepped back a few feet with his back virtually touching the wall and then timed a small jump and to catch it for the second out. A thin layer of fog had just settled in a couple of innings previously and had most assuredly knocked down a drive. Credit the San Francisco Bay for keeping Cain perfect. The next batter was Brian Bixler who took two called strikes and then swung and missed for the third out.
The Astros made a pitching change bringing in Xavier Cedeno, a 25 year old lefty out of Puerto Rico who had been recently brought up from the Astro’s Triple A club to face the Giants in the bottom of the sixth. Pagan fielded out to right field and then Pablo doubled to deep right. Belt struck out swinging and Joaquin Arias, the starting shortstop grounded out to Chris Johnson at third base to end the inning.
Seventh Inning
From the television booth (Dave Fleming) – “A game that has been about the Giant’s offense (i.e. scoring 10 runs in the first 5 innings) is now about Matt Cain. The story in this game is not just the 10-0 score, it’s the fact the Houston Astros have not had a base runner through six innings.”
Bochy makes defensive adjustments in switching (from shortstop) Arias to third base (for Sandoval) and bringing in Brandon Crawford to bat sixth and play shortstop. Arias moved from shortstop to take Sandoval’s spot at third base. The Astro’s leadoff hitter Jordan Shafer stepped into the batters box to start the seventh inning.
From the radio booth (Duane Kuiper) –
First pitch – “call strike one, slider at 84 miles per hour. Shafer has struck out two times, Cane has 11 K’s so far.”
Second pitch – “91 miles per hour fastball is outside.”
Third pitch – “90 miles per hour, fouled off to left field.”
Jon Miller (radio) joins in — “It’s getting exciting.”
Kuiper – “It is.”
Fourth pitch – “Cain bounces in a 78 miles per hours split finger. 2-2 count. Pitch count is 90 – 25 balls, 65 strikes.”
Fifth pitch – 91 miles per hour fastball is high. 3-2 count. So Cain, who hasn’t walked anybody, comes set and delivers the pitch. It’s hit into the alleyway, a long run for Blanco. Blanco’s gonna dive and he makes the catch! Just an unbelievable catch here in the seventh inning. The ball is hit into the gap and Blanco had a long way to go to get there. He makes a desperation dive and then he has to hold onto it!. (Cain tips his cap to Blanco). Kuip continues — “You’d be hard pressed to find a better catch given the situation we’re in right now.
Jon Miller – “And the ballpark had something to do with it. In very few ballparks, would you (Blanco) be playing so far off the (right field) line to begin with, which is the norm in this ballpark. It is almost like he willed that one to go into his glove.”
Kuiper – “Well, it was hit in the perfect spot. It split Pagan and Blanco but Blanco got there.”
From my Field Club seats behind the Giant’s dugout and looking down into the on deck circle I had an ideal view of the drive. Like most of the other fans in the park, I thought this was the end of the no-no. This spectacular catch cranked up the excitement to another level, if that was even possible.
Kuiper – “Jose Altuve strikes out on a 1-2 count gets a 93 miles per hour fastball from Cain that catches the outside corner for his 12th strikeout equaling his career high (set 6 year ago).”
Miller – “Cain has everything working – fastball, change up, curveball, slider.”
On pitch number 103, Jed Lowrie swings over the top and drops the bat to the ground in disgust. Kuip shouts – “Got ‘em! 13th strikeout for Cain. It remains 10-0 Giants after seven.”
The bottom of the eight saw the Giants and Cain, Blanco, and Burriss go 1-2-3. Cain a grounds out, Blanco singles and Burisss hit into a 6-4-3 double play. Onto the top of the eighth.
Eight Inning
The buzz could be felt throughout the park as J.D. Martinez stepped to the plate in the top of the eighth and promptly hit the first pitch as described by Jon Miller – “a broken bat grounder to Arias who charges it and makes an off balance throw. One away!”
Pitch 105 to Brett Wallace was a 86 miles per hour change-up fouled off for strike one. Wallace had accounted for two of the thirteen Cain strikeouts. Pitch 109 was a change up in the dirt to bring the count full. On TV the cameras panned in on Chelsea Cain who hands were clenched tightly as she nervously watched her husband. Kuiper – “There’s Chelsea Cain. It’s hard to watch. It really is!” Then from Jon Miller – “Cain comes to the plate and “strike three called, inside corner! 93 miles per hour fastball! Number 14 for Cain. Two down in the eight!”
Chris Johnson, the Astro’s third baseman is next to bat. He has grounded out to short and second in his previous at bats. He takes a ball and then a called strike – a 92 miles per hour fastball. A change up from Cain almost hits Johnson and the count is 2-1. The next pitched is grounded slowly up the middle past Cain and Crawford scoops it up and fires to Belt for the third out.
Jon Miller – “For Matt Cain, 24 faced, 24 retired and a huge ovation as he heads back to the dugout. Cain has done a lot of great things in his career and will try to go somewhere he has never been before tonight.”
In the bottom of the eight — with Xavier Cedeno still on the mound for the Astros the Giants (Cabrera, Posey, and Pagan) went one, two, three as the focus returned to Cain and his near masterpiece.
There have been 5 no-hitters in San Francisco Giant’s baseball history – Juan Marichal (June 15th, 1963 versus the Astros), Gaylord Perry (September 17th, 1968 versus the St. Louis Cardinals), Ed Halicki (August 24th, 1975 versus the New York Mets), John Montefusco (September 26th, 1976 versus the Atlanta Braves), and Jonathan Sanchez (July 10th, 2009 versus the San Diego Padres) – all great accomplishments. Cain could join this group of Giants or an even more illustrious group of major leaguers who had thrown perfect games.
3 Outs to Perfection
Everyone was on his or her feet as Brian Bogusevic , the Astro’s right fielder stepped to the plate to start the ninth inning. Pitch number 115 was a fouled off for strike one. A couple of balls and then another foul ball strike for 2-2 count. He then lifted a soft fly ball to left field and Cabrera grabbed it for out number one. Chris Snyder, the Astros catcher took a ball and then hit a routine fly ball to left and Cabrera again got under it and made the catch for the second out. It would be hard to describe the buzz and excitement that was going through AT&T Park as Jason Castro (pinch hitting for the pitcher Cedeno) stepped to the plate. A called strike one, a ball, another called strike and then Castro hits a slow grounder to Arias at third which he charged, grabbed and slung to Belt at first to complete the perfect game!
Cain lifted his right arm in the air with his fist clenched as Buster Posey gave him a bear hug and then the rest of the Giants converged on him to celebrate his masterpiece.
Best Ever?
My friend James who attending Cain’s masterpiece did some of his own research and calculated that only 547,555 paid to see perfect games in the 20 modern era games and there are no attendance figures available for the 2 post 1900 games. If you add in the press and stadium personnel that number is most likely around 600,000. To put this in perspective, there have been 143 years of Major League Baseball history.
Bill James, a noted baseball statistics guru has come up with a statistic called Game Score that rates starting pitchers’ starts (typically from 0 to 100) based on innings pitched, runs, hits, strikeouts and walks. Using this rating system helps to put Cain’s feat in numerical and historical perspective. Using James’ Game Score, Cain recorded a 101 based on his 14 strikeouts along with zero walks and hits over nine innings. Of his 14 strikeouts, eleven came on fastballs, seven were called third strikes while the other three were from a changeups (2) and a curveball (1).
This was the highest Game Score since Kerry Woods 20-strikeout masterpiece in 1998 and a Game Score of 105, which was not even a perfect game as Wood allowed one, hit. Cain tied Sandy Koufax (Game Score of 101 as well) with his 1965 perfect game where he also recorded 14 K’s — for the highest Game Score ever for a perfect game. The 14 strikeouts also tied Koufax for the most in a perfect game since 1900.
September 28, 2013