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Sale becomes 2nd pitcher with 2 immaculate innings in same season

Jamie Squire / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Chris Sale spun a gem Wednesday and made some history in the process.

The Boston Red Sox left-hander threw his second immaculate inning of the season - and his career - by striking out three Kansas City Royals hitters on nine pitches in the eighth inning Wednesday.

Sale is only the sixth pitcher in history to throw more than one immaculate inning during his career, joining Lefty Grove, Randy Johnson, Nolan Ryan, Max Scherzer, and Sandy Koufax (who did it a record three times). Only Sale and Grove - who threw both of his in 1928 - have done it twice in the same season, according to MLB Stats.

The 30-year-old's first immaculate inning came on May 8 against the Baltimore Orioles.

Wednesday's immaculate inning was the 96th in MLB history, the fourth this season, and the sixth tossed by a Red Sox pitcher. This was the second time the Royals were victims of the feat; it hadn't happened to them since 1997.

Sale's historic eighth came during a three-hit, 12-strikeout, complete-game shutout. It marked his 11th career start in which he struck out at least 12 batters while walking none.

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