Chicago Cub starting pitcher Drew Smyly lost out on a perfect game after a collision with catcher Yan Gomes. Here is the last time a perfect game and no-hitter took place in MLB.
On Friday, there was nearly a perfect game to take place at Wrigley Field, but it ended in the weirdest way possible. Chicago Cubs starter Drew Smyly was two innings away from accomplishing the feat, but his own catcher Yan Gomes collided with him as they both tried to field a bloop ground ball hit by Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder David Peralta. That allowed Peralta to reach first base to end both a perfect game and a no-hitter.
Smyly took it all in stride, smiling after the fact, and Gomes had some fun while speaking with the media after the game, fielding questions while wearing a Cubs football helmet.
After this game, fans may be wondering when was the last time a perfect game took place. While we’re at it, we’ll also let you know when the last no-hitter was in MLB.
When was the last perfect game or no-hitter in MLB?
The last time a perfect game was thrown was back on Aug. 15, 2012, with Seattle Mariners ace Felix Hernandez accomplishing the feat. Facing off at then-Safeco Field against the Tampa Bay Rays, Hernandez recorded 12 strikeouts and zero walks on 113 pitches in the full nine innings of work.
This was also the third perfect game to take place that season. The other perfect games were thrown by Philip Humber of the Chicago White Sox against the Mariners (Apr. 21, 2012) and Matt Cain of the San Francisco Giants against the Houston Astros (June 13, 2012).
There have only been 23 perfect games in MLB history.
As for when the last time a no-hitter was thrown, that occurred in Game 4 of the 2022 World Series by the Astros at the expense of the Philadelphia Phillies. It was a combined effort by Houston, with Christian Javier (six innings), Bryan Abreu (one inning), Rafael Montero (one inning) and Ryan Pressley (one inning) all contributing to the no-hitter.
This was the Astros’ second no-hitter of the 2022 season, as Javier (seven innings), Pressley (one inning) and Hector Neris (one inning) threw a combined no-hitter on June 25 against the New York Yankees.