Mr. (Almost) Perfect

The stage was set. The docile and usually uninterested Dodgers fans were into it. The faces of the Dodgers infielders and outfielders had determination written all over them. Everyone in the ball park from the vendors to the announcers could feel it. The pride of Japan, Hiroki Kuroda, was going to throw a perfect game.

It made all the sense in the world. It would have been against the Atlanta Braves, who have a recent history with perfectos. Randy Johnson threw one against them in 2004, which was the last time a perfect game was registered in the majors.

What a way it would have been for Hiroki Kuroda to break into his first year in the bigs. He would've stood alongside with all-time great Dodger lefty Sandy Koufax as the only Dodger to have thrown a perfect game.

Hiroki was efficient, needing only 91 pitches to shut out the Braves. Kuroda threw a perfect seven innings of baseball before Mark Teixeira ruined all the fun with a double to left. Kuroda's final line was 9 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, 6 K.

That's JAKked Up: Gregor Blanco.
I can't believe this guy tried to ruin the perfect game in the top of the seventh by laying down a bunt. It took an incredible play from Blake DeWitt to save the 100% completion attempt. I don't care what people say, as far as Blanco trying to make plays and win the game. That was bush. Anytime a pitcher in a position in the seventh inning to throw a perfect game or no-hitter, you gotta earn it. Why didn't the Braves do that to Randy Johnson in 2004 you ask? Well, it's because Randy would've clocked the next guy harder than his "bird ball" in Spring Training.



Luis Gonzales' flair single to beat the Yankees in 2001 thinks that's unfair.