Mad Max loses perfect game in 8th, Dodgers blank Padres
On the day of his 3,000th career strikeout, Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Max Scherzer was nearly perfect.
The veteran ace lost his perfect game when San Diego Padres first baseman Eric Hosmer ripped a double to right field with one out in the eighth inning. Scherzer fanned Hosmer earlier in the contest to reach the 3,000-K milestone.
Scherzer finished the eighth inning without allowing a run and recorded his ninth strikeout of the game in the process on 92 pitches. He was replaced by Justin Bruihl, who tossed a clean ninth inning to preserve the 8-0 victory.
Had it held up, Scherzer would have produced the 24th perfect game in MLB history and first since Felix Hernandez in 2012. It would have served as Scherzer's third career no-hitter after throwing two in 2015 with the Washington Nationals.
The 37-year-old also threw an immaculate inning earlier in the contest, recording three strikeouts on just nine pitches. Dodgers legend Sandy Koufax is the only pitcher in baseball history who has thrown an immaculate inning during a game in which they also recorded a no-hitter.
Only 1 pitcher on record has thrown a no-hitter in a game where he also had an immaculate inning:
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) September 12, 2021
Sandy Koufax, on June 30, 1962 against the Mets -- 1st inning was the immaculate one
Scherzer has been nothing short of incredible since being acquired from the Nationals at the July 30 trade deadline. He's now 6-0 with a 0.88 ERA over eight starts with the Dodgers, and he hasn't allowed an earned run since Aug. 21 against the Mets.
No pitcher has ever posted a better ERA over his first eight appearances - all starts - with a new club since earned runs became official in both leagues in 1913, according to Sarah Langs of MLB.com.