Sale throws 5th immaculate inning in Red Sox history
Chris Sale is back.
The Boston Red Sox left-hander became the fifth pitcher in club history to throw an immaculate frame Wednesday against the Baltimore Orioles. In the seventh inning, Sale mowed down the three batters he faced with a trio of strikeouts on nine pitches.
9 pitches. 9 strikes. 3 outs.
— MLB (@MLB) May 9, 2019
That's what we call, immaculate. pic.twitter.com/8jAlyE0T4V
Perhaps even more impressive is the fact Sale notched eight swings and misses, sitting down Hanser Alberto, Dwight Smith Jr., and Stevie Wilkerson.
Sale joins Rick Porcello, Craig Kimbrel, Clay Buchholz, and Pedro Martinez as the only documented Red Sox pitchers to accomplish the feat.
The 30-year-old starter is already the third pitcher to record an immaculate inning this season, joining Josh Hader and Thomas Pannone, both of whom did so in relief. Four were thrown in all of 2018.
Sale struggled to start the season, opening the 2019 campaign with an 0-5 record. However, the ace lefty has turned it around of late, carrying a no-hitter into the sixth inning of Wednesday's game.