Source: Thearon W. Henderson / Getty
As the NBA and NFL continue to prep for next season, the MLB season is in full effect and making history— specifically the New York Yankees.
The Bronx Bombers took on the Oakland Athletics last night and took full advantage of the 21-61 team with Domingo German on pitching duty. German allowed no hits or walks in 99 pitches.
Not only did the Yanks win 11-0, but it earned German his first no-hitter, which was only the fourth perfect game in franchise history. Thanks to differing pitch styles, he was able to also record nine strikeouts on a monumental night. Perfect games are a rarity, with the most recent coming in 2012 by Seatle Mariner Felix Hernandez.
For some other firsts, German was the first Dominican-born player to pitch a perfect game and the first player in league history to do so after 10+ runs in the previous game.
It meant even more for German because a family member passed away recently.
“Unfortunately, two days ago, an uncle of mine passed away, and I cried a lot yesterday in the clubhouse,” the 30-year-old said through an interpreter. “I had him with me throughout the whole game. I was thinking about him, and it happened.
He dedicated the game to his uncle Saint Jacques Gean Louis, recognizing how important he was to his family.
“This game is a tribute to him. He would be so happy,” German said. “He was always someone who really brought joy to our family. And it happened for him to watch this from up there.”
Yankee manager Aaron Boone echoed the sentiments of the history-making game coming at a much-needed and dark time.
“I’m so proud of him. He’s been through so much. This has not been an easy week or time for him. For him to go out there and paint that masterpiece was really just a lot of fun to be able to watch,” Boone told the press.
German’s also been marred in controversy lately, including a 10-game suspension in May after too much rosin was found on his hand during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays.
In 2019, German allegedly slapped his girlfriend at an MLB charity gala, and reportedly later that night he drunkenly physically assaulted her until she hid in a locked room. After the abuse was reported to the league, German was suspended for 81 games for violating the MLB’s domestic violence policy.
In the wake of the no-hitter, some are bringing up German’s past. See how Twitter’s reacting below.
