Mr. Perfect

With a major contribution in helping the Giants claim their first ever Word Series title in 2010 since the ball club moved from New York to San Francisco in 1956, there's been little that starting pitcher Matt Cain and the Giants have been yet to accomplish in the franchise's rich 100+ year history. But a little more than two months after signing the right-handed workhorse to a blockbuster 5-year, $112.5 Million deal, the 27-year old pitcher rewarded the franchise with something they've never seen before. Though the ball club has been on the giving end of 14 no-hitters which is tied for the fourth most by a team in MLB history, never before has there been a player to throw a perfect game while donning the orange and black. But on June 13, not only would Cain register a perfecto, but he would also toss one of the most dominant pitching performances the game of baseball has ever seen. 

With three career one-hitters under his belt including one earlier this season against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Giants fans knew if anyone on the current roster had the stuff to throw a perfect game it was Matt Cain. And in front of a sellout crowd at San Francisco's AT&T Park against the Houston Astros, Cain would do just that. Facing the minimum of 27 batters and preventing the Astros from getting a single man on base, Cain notched just the 22nd perfect game in MLB history. And though the 2012 season was already treated to a perfecto thanks to Chicago's Phillip Humber, to say Cain's feat was better would be an understatement. Proving just how dominant he was, Cain didn't fall behind to a single 2-0 count all game long. Even more impressive was that he fanned a career-high 14 Houston hitters. Half of Cain's punch outs coming by way of the swinging variety while the other half struck out looking. The 14-strikeouts was also the most K's ever in a perfect game, tying the mark set by Sandy Koufax of the arch-rival Dodgers who struck out 14 Chicago Cubs in 1965. Not to be overlooked was the stellar game called by Cain's battery mate Buster Posey and outfielder Gregor Blanco who's diving grab in the seventh inning to preserve the gem was arguably the best catch we've seen from a Giant in recent years.

Notoriously known for being on the receiving end of poor run support for a majority of his career in the big leagues which has translated to a poor and undeserving win-loss record for Cain, Giants hitters would have no trouble getting runs on the board this time around as they set a record for the most runs of support in a perfect game by tacking on 10-runs. Ironically, the game was also the win that put Matt Cain over the .500 mark in his career (76-75), a mark that Giants fans should only see expand from here on. Having been one of the most underrated and under appreciated pitchers in the game today while in the shadow of teammate and 2-time Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum for the greater part of the last few seasons despite logging a number of productive years of his own including two All-Star campaigns in 2009 and 2011, Cain's recent domination coupled with Lincecum's struggles this season just might help Cain solidify himself as the ace of the Giants pitching staff moving forward. 

On pitch no. 125, Cain would get the pinch-hitting Jason Castro to hit a ground ball to third baseman Joaquin Arias who off balanced rifled a strike to the first baseman Brandon Belt for the 27th out of the ball game. Sticking the ball in his back pocket, Belt then raised his arms before joining the rest of his teammates in mobbing Cain on the pitchers mound as the team celebrated in a similar way they did just two years ago when winning the World Series, showering the man of the hour with cans of beer. The coolest part, however, was that Matt's wife Chelsea stood and watched from the stands before greeting and congratulating him first hand near the Giants dugout.

For Giants and baseball fans alike, this will be one of those games/events that we tell our children and grandchildren that we had the privilege to watch. At least I will. 


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