Matt Cain Perfect Game: Giants Pitcher Makes History In 10-0 Win Over Astros (VIDEO)

For nine innings, Matt Cain was perfect. The San Francisco Giants' right-handed pitcher retired all 27 batters that the Houston Astros sent to the plate on Wednesday night in a 10-0 win at AT&T Park.

The 27-year-old Cain notched a career-high 14 strikeouts en route to the first perfect game in the storied, 129-year history of the Giants. The gaudy strikeout total matches Sandy Koufax for the most ever in a perfect game. The Dodgers' legend notched 14 strikeouts in his perfecto against the Chicago Cubs in September 1965. Cain needed 125 pitches to work his way from Jordan Schafer in the top of the first through Jason Castro, who grounded out to third to end the game.

During an on-field interview with the studio crew of "MLB Tonight" on MLB Network, Cain was still coming to grips with the weight of his accomplishment.

"Honestly, I have no idea what it means. This is unspeakable right now. This is unbelievable," Cain marveled. "This is something that, obviously, [is] part of history, something that I'm going to remember forever. This is truly amazing right now."

The Giants put crooked numbers on the board in four of the first five frames to jump out to a large lead. By the later innings, the only drama remaining involved Cain's bid for a perfecto.

The closest call for Cain was saved by a stellar catch in right field by Gregor Blanco in the seventh inning to rob Schafer of what looked to a sure hit to the gap. An inning earlier, Giants left fielder Melky Cabrera also made a terrific snag to keep the Astros off the base paths.

WATCH: Blanco's Diving Catch

Cain's historic outing is the second perfect game of the 2012 season. White Sox pitcher Philip Humber twirled a perfecto of his own in April. According to ESPN Stats & Info, 2012 is now just the third season in MLB history to feature two perfect games (1880, 2010). This is the 22nd perfect game in MLB history.

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• Phil Taylor

• Joelsph

• Dailey

• Jon Heyman

• Jesse Spector

• ESPN Stats & Info

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• Keith Olbermann

• Zac Boyer

• Jayson Stark

• Tim Kawakami

• MLB Jesus

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Comments

[WoodsideCraig]

02:07 PM on 06/16/2012

Cain is just the sort of person who could do this again. The guy is a rock.

[vesaversa1]

08:40 PM on 06/15/2012

A majority of pitchers who have thrown no hitters have went on a slump afterward .Same go for batters who hit Grandslams.

[whosbinfarteen]

07:05 PM on 06/15/2012

Another Dodger fan in praise of Matt Cain. Matt won his last six starts and you could see the momentum build to this performance.

Great job Matt.

[chan jun park]

03:47 AM on 06/15/2012

Amazing!

[Jason Ungar]

12:54 AM on 06/15/2012

I'm a Dodger Diehard. Hats off to Cain. What an amazing performance. According to Baseball Reference that is tied for 2nd best pitched game in the history of the sport (Wood, Cain Ryan, Koufax). Amazing.

[vesaversa1]

08:42 PM on 06/15/2012

Wow aren't you exaggerating a bit much .

[Jason Ungar]

11:56 PM on 06/15/2012

Am I? go check the facts. http://www.baseball-reference.com/play-index/share.cgi?id=jfm2N

[Jason Ungar]

12:01 AM on 06/16/2012

No. I am not. His game score was 101. Since you are such an expert you would know this. 14ks perfect game..how may other players have done this? The answer is 1. Sandy Koufax. Randy Johnson had 13ks and a perfect game.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/play-index/share.cgi?id=jfm2N

[johnarack1]

11:39 PM on 06/14/2012

Matt Cain's Perfection what a deserving ballplayer..Hats off to the Defensive Gems also nothing routine about this memorable night watching from start ot finish..Check out the Jet Pack Guy!!

[kelly1956]

10:57 PM on 06/14/2012

I've been a Giants fan since I can remember, going to the games at The Stick with my Dad, freezing my bootie off, but always loving them. To watch every pitch last night to it's perfect ending brought tears of joy and shouts of sheer happiness. I phoned my 90-year-old Mom who was also watching the game on TV immediately after the win, and together we hooted and hollered and celebrated. Oh what a night! I love my Giants -- every one of them!

[Bibulus]

09:54 PM on 06/14/2012

As a lifelong Giants fan it was quite a treat. Although it is obviously not getting the attention of the spectacular defensive play by Blanco I think he almost had lost it with two outs in the bottom of the ninth but Arias went Japanese style shift and made an amazing play to all-arm through out the runner. Bochy had just removed Panda from third for the upgraded defense and I think this was the key move to see the Perfecto to fruition.

[kelly1956]

11:00 PM on 06/14/2012

Let's not forget how well Posey was catching Cain and together they were making magic. Cain was throwing precisely into so many of Posey's set ups.

[Feistysfnative]

06:21 PM on 06/14/2012

I was bawling last night! Great game, Matt. Great effort Giants! Perfect Cain!

[Republicanistan]

05:38 PM on 06/14/2012

Some interesting Stats from last nights Perfect Game:

1. Only the 22nd Perfect Game in Professional Baseball and the first in the 129 year history of the Giants, the most winning pro team in all of sports.

2. 14k's ties Sandy Koufax for the most ever in a perfect game.

3. 125 Pitches, most ever in a perfect game.

4. Only 4 3 Ball counts, fewest ever in a perfect game.

5. 10 Runs by the Giant's Offense, most ever in a perfect game.

Matt Cain, not a more deserving guy in Baseball.

:D

[jrp1947]

04:46 PM on 06/14/2012

I think this is the year of the pitcher and that brings more balance back to the game. Congrats to Cain and let the let the duel between pitcher and hitter rage on.

[arthuralexander]

03:20 PM on 06/14/2012

Woo Hoo!

[AbeMartin]

03:06 PM on 06/14/2012

Cain's gem is an awesome achievement.  But even with the 14K, his fielders and hitters should get a big chunk of the credit as well.  The secret of throwing a no-hitter or a perfect game is almost always the web of the fielder's glove and occasionally his bare-handed grab of a trickler down the line and a 100 mile an hour off-balanced throw to first. And of course, the pitch selection by the catcher.

More than fifty years ago, the Pirates Harvey Haddix and the Milwaukee Braves Lew  Burdette were joined in the greatest pitching duel--ever.  Both had complete games. Haddix was perfect for twelve complete innings and sadly lost the game in the 13th, when he walked a batter and gave up an RBI double to Joe Adcock.

Burdette had a thirteen inning, 12 hit shut out.  Haddix ended up with a one hitter.  Both of these warriors must have thrown upwards of 150 pitches.  Parenthetically, a year later Burdette did throw a no-hitter but plunked a batter and lost his bid for a perfect game.

[A Green]

02:55 PM on 06/14/2012

I don't think this could have happened to a more deserving pitcher. Matt Cain is such a class act and has such a great work ethic. He gave such high praise to his team. Love me so Matty Cain! Go Giants!

[skyslimit]

02:51 PM on 06/14/2012

We messed with Texas. Big time.

[nishioka]

08:34 PM on 06/14/2012

Beating the Rangers in the 2010 World Series counts as being repeat offenders in the "messing with Texas" game!