Max Scherzer had a perfect game through 8 2/3 innings against the Pirates as the Nationals led 6-0. But a hit-by-pitch against Jose Tabata on a 2-2 count stripped the pitcher of perfection, slightly deflating the moment as he persisted and finished the no-hitter.
Scherzer struck out 10 Pirates on the night — including two against all three members of the esteemed Pittsburgh outfield: Andrew McCutchen, Gregory Polanco and Starling Marte — recording at least 10 strikeouts in a game for the sixth time this season.
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The 27th batter for the Pirates was pinch-hitter Tabata, who fouled off three straight pitches with a 2-2 count before appearing to lean into a pitch, getting hit on the elbow, thus ruining the perfect game.
Baseball is still without a perfect game since 2012, when there were three perfect games — the last from Seattle's Félix Hernández on Aug. 15. Scherzer came one out away from becoming the 24th pitcher in MLB history to reach perfection of this kind.
The only real threat to Scherzer's no-hitter came with two outs in the eighth. Pirates first baseman Pedro Alvarez slapped a grounder past Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond, who dove for the ball, but second baseman Danny Espinosa — playing in shallow right field — threw out Alvarez at first.
The St. Louis native and University of Missouri product was the prize free agent in the 2015 offseason and inked a seven-year, $210 million deal with the Nationals in January. Scherzer, who won the American League Cy Young while with the Tigers in 2013, entered Saturday's game with a 1.93 ERA.
He was phenomenal on Saturday, getting stronger as the game went on and finished with 106 pitches thrown, 82 for strikes. Scherzer was coming off a one-hit, complete-game shutout of the Brewers on June 14 when he struck out 16 batters.
"Coming out for the seventh, you hear the crowd going nuts, getting on their feet for those two-strike counts," he told MASN after getting doused in chocolate syrup by teammates. "Just being able to get a no-hitter in front of these fans,there's nothing better."
All of the hugs. None of the hits. Congratulations, @Max_Scherzer ! #PlankThePirates pic.twitter.com/riXPm6TAOr
— MASN Nationals (@masnNationals) June 20, 2015 Scherzer becomes the 289th pitcher to complete a no-hitter in MLB history; only 23 have pitched perfect. And 23 it remains.
