Washington Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer has never thrown a perfect game.
However, he's tossed two perfect innings -- a feat no other active MLB pitcher has achieved.
In Tuesday's 4-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays, Scherzer's sixth inning was immaculate: 9 pitches, 9 strikes, 3 strikeouts. Perfection. An "immaculate inning."
"Awesome. It's just one of those things, it just happened," Scherzer told MLB.com's Jamal Collier. "Just executing pitches. It's one of those things where, hey, it happened. That's more to the preparation than anything and knowing what [catcher Pedro Severino] wanted behind the plate."
It was the second time in the majors this season that the feat has been accomplished. Baltimore Orioles right-hander Kevin Gausman did so in the seventh inning of a 2-1 loss to the Cleveland Indians on April 23.
The immaculate inning is the second of Scherzer's career and the third in Nationals history. Scherzer also accomplished the feat May 14, 2017, against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Scherzer is the fifth pitcher to record at least two career immaculate innings. The other four are all in the Hall of Fame.
"He can throw any pitch in any count," Tampa Bay outfielder Carlos Gomez said. "He works really fast. It's funny to say, but everybody enjoys watching that guy pitch. Every ining he gets tougher and tougher. He's got that attitude that, 'It's my game.'
"Every pitch he throws is power. Hard slider, hard curve. He has a funky delivery, plus good stuff. That's why he's one of the best pitchers in baseball, or the best."
After winning the National League's Pitcher of the Month award in each of the season's first two months, Scherzer isn't showing any signs of slowing down anytime soon.
"It's hard to compare him to anybody really," Nationals Manager Dave Martinez said. "I'm around him every day. From the other side, you see him, and you say, 'Wow, every fifth day, he's really good.' But to see him every day, he's the best. He really is."
Discovering America
Giannis Antetokounmpo is set to have a very big, very important summer. The Milwaukee Bucks' young star is coming off his best season as a professional and will be highly sought after in the free agent market.
If he stays with the Bucks, he'll have a new coach in Mike Budenholzer, but no matter where he plays, he'll have a new deal with Nike and his own signature sneaker, joining a short list of players in the NBA with their own shoe.
However, none of that is more important to Antetokounmpo than his newest discoveries: corn dogs and Kool-Aid. Antetokounmpo has been in the United States for five years now, but apparently had not come across corn dogs until Monday night.
He tweeted a picture of two corn dogs, one with a bite taken from it, and said, "Just tried a corndog for the first time...Man God Bless America!"
Then, while enjoying Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday, he decided to try Kool-Aid.
"Just had my first sip of American Red Kool Aid while watching the game," Antetokounmpo tweeted with a picture of the glass and of his television. "It's extremely tasty. America stay blessed. #WhatsNextForTheFreak."
Sports quiz
Who are the other four pitchers who recorded at least two career immaculate innings?
Answer
Lefty Grove, Sandy Koufax, Nolan Ryan and Randy Johnson.
Sports on 06/08/2018