The Baltimore Orioles have not had a lot of high points in recent years, having finished last in the AL East in three out of the last four years (they had a fourth place finish last year) and have made just three playoff appearances since 1998. On Wednesday came the high point of Orioles baseball in quite some time, as John Means went out and threw as close to a perfect game as one can have without officially getting one.
Means threw a no-hitter with 12 strikeouts, no walks, and no errors behind him on Wednesday against the Mariners, with the final out coming on a soft line drive to shortstop, leading to quite the celebration in Seattle.
John Means. No hitter! 🍾🍾 pic.twitter.com/dRHSUo9ZaL
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 5, 2021
If you’re wondering how a pitcher can throw a no-hitter with no walks and no errors and not have that be a perfect game, that’s an understandable question because, well, it’s never happened before. The only runner Means “allowed” came on a strikeout in the third inning, in which his curveball got past the catcher and rolled to the backstop on a swinging strike three, with the runner advancing to first.
This is the play that stood between John Means and a perfect game pic.twitter.com/3aq9oouma1
— Connor Newcomb (@ConnorNewcomb_) May 5, 2021
That runner would get thrown out trying to steal second, and in the moment, few thought anything about it — it was just the third inning after all. However, that proved to be the only blemish on an otherwise perfect afternoon for Means, and will create a seemingly endless debate over whether this should indeed be ruled a perfect game, since we are breaking new ground here.
From @EliasSports: : This is the first non-perfect no-hitter in which the team did not record a walk, hit by pitch or error.
So, basically the only time a perfecto was broken up by a runner reaching on a passed ball on strike three.
— Daniel Kramer (@DKramer_) May 5, 2021
As some have pointed out, a perfect game isn’t just a pitching record but one for the entire defense as well, and as such, a passed ball/wild pitch — they ruled this a wild pitch, but to be honest, I think this was more on the catcher — does indeed create a blemish even though he only faced the minimum of 27 batters since the runner got caught stealing. It is the third no-hitter in MLB this season, as pitchers are enjoying a tremendous start to the season, but Means’ performance was as unique as you’ll ever see and the debate will carry on over whether this should be considered perfection from him.
