By Justin Worsley
The Tampa Bay Rays had no answer for Oakland Athletics' pitcher Dallas Braden. On Mother's Day, Braden, 26, became only the 19th pitcher to throw a perfect game during Oakland's 4-0 victory against a Tampa Bay team that is currently ahead of both the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox in the AL East standings.
Braden, who's mother succumbed to skin cancer while he was a senior in high school, immediately looked to the sky prior to hugging his grandmother, Peggy Lindsey, in celebration of his achievement. The last A's pitcher to throw for perfection was Hall of Fame pitcher Jim "Catfish" Hunter on May 8, 1968.
Despite the recent success of Tampa Bay (22-9,) the team has been prone to a pitcher on a hot streak. The last pitcher to throw for a perfect game was Chicago White Sox's ace Mark Buehrle, who accomplished this feat against the Rays. Earlier in the season, Yankee's pitcher C.C. Sabathia was a mere four outs from completing a no hitter before Kelly Shoppach landed a late single to spoil the game.
Braden's perfect game isn't his only recent headline. Last month, Braden got into a scuffle with Yankee's third baseman Alex Rodriguez after Rodriguez stepped on the pitcher's mound, a sacred land for pitchers. The two have kept this rivalry alive through the media.
Branden becomes the seventh left-handed pitcher to throw a perfect game. With only six strikeouts, many of the outs came with the support of his teammates. The closest the Rays came from landing on base was in the first-inning when lead off hitter Jason Bartlett grounded to third base. Kevin Kouzamanoff reached, and was able to record the game's first out for Braden.
"I've got nothing to say but 'perfect'" Braden told Comcast in a post-game interview.
Braden only needed 109 pitches to achieve perfection. No pitcher has ever thrown a perfect game against the team with the MLB's best record (Tampa Bay has a .773 winning percentage.)
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