The worst day of Seattle Mariners right-hander Felix Hernandez's career came three years after his best. On Aug. 15, Hernandez allowed a career-high 10 earned runs. On Aug. 15, 2012, he threw a perfect game. It was the fifth perfect game in the majors in less than three seasons.
Three years later, there have been no more perfect games. That is more in line with the general pace of perfect games in recent decades. There was one each in 1981 (Len Barker), 1984 (Mike Witt), 1988 (Tom Browning), 1991 (Dennis Martinez), 1994 (Kenny Rogers), 1998 (David Wells), 1999 (David Cone), 2004 (Randy Johnson) and 2009 (Mark Buehrle) before the recent outburst.
In 2010, Dallas Braden and Roy Halladay threw perfect games -- and Armando Galarraga would have thrown another, but an umpire, Jim Joyce, blew the call on the potential 27th out. In 2012, Philip Humber, Matt Cain and Hernandez were perfect.
The New York Yankees' Brendan Ryan played for the Mariners then and was the final out for Humber's perfect game and the shortstop for Hernandez's. He said he was a bit surprised no pitcher had thrown a perfect game since then, but not too much so.
"The pitching is so good today, but things go in waves," Ryan said. "That's just the way this game is. Everything goes in cycles. Home runs go in cycles, errors seem to come in cycles, tough calls, all that stuff."
"Tough calls" was likely a reference to the final out of Humber's perfect game, when Ryan barely checked his swing on a 3-2 breaking ball well out of the strike zone. Ryan argued the call on the field but has chosen not to complain publicly.
"I would love to colorfully answer a lot of stuff, but only probably when I'm done playing," Ryan said. "A lot of stuff seems to have umpires come into play."
Foul play
Illinois suspended junior forward Darius Paul following his arrest for vandalism, public intoxication and resisting arrest during the basketball team's trip to France.
Wrote Dwight Perry of The Seattle Times: "Apparently the judge didn't buy Paul's plea that he still had two more fouls to give."
Picture perfect
Canadian Brook Henderson, 17, is the LPGA's third-youngest winner, taking the Cambia Portland Classic.
Wrote R.J. Currie of sportsdeke.com: "Her four-day total included 3 bogeys, 24 birdies and 157 Instagram posts."
Sports quiz
What was the last National League team to be no-hit twice in the same season?
Answer
The San Diego Padres in 2001, by A.J. Burnett of the Marlins on May 12, and by Bud Smith of the Cardinals on Sept. 3.
Sports on 08/23/2015