Remembering Matt Cain’s Perfect Game
Our dear friend Ally Williams (@itsallyduhh) has the fortunate job of the Real Time Correspondent for the San Francisco Giants. That also means that she was present for the 22nd Perfect Game in MLB history. We asked her to recall what it was like throughout the experience and post it for you here. Enjoy!
“It’s been six days and the euphoria that followed Matt Cain’s perfect game hasn’t worn off quite yet. I had the pleasure of experiencing history first hand on Wednesday night as a real-time coordinator for the San Francisco Giants. I take fan photos, video and interviews, so I was out in the thick of things for the majority of the game.
It’s hard to judge just when it’s okay to start thinking the words “perfect game.” After watching Cain sit down nine straight batters, it was clear he was having a good outing—as usual. In the sixth, Chris Snyder drilled a ball out to left, only to land in Melky Cabrera’s glove right at the wall.
Gregor Blanco’s catch in the top of the seventh solidified the feeling that something big was meant to happen that night. I understand there’s no cheering in the press box but it was nearly impossible to stay silent after a play like that. I failed to stifle a shriek and figured it was time to head back out into the stands.
You can’t plan to go to a perfect game. It’s not something on your ticket description, something you get an email alert for. That makes games like this even better. The feeling that you get at a perfect game rivals any other Major League Baseball experience. There have been several amazing moments at AT&T Park in its short 12 years of existence but Matt Cain’s perfect game may be the best memory those fans in attendance could ever have.
June 13, 2012 not only solidified Matt Cain’s already established reputation, but also put him in the spotlight for one of the first times in his career. The Giants are full of characters, plus a talented and decorated pitching rotation that has been led by Tim Lincecum. Cain may not get the same attention as some of his teammates but has been one of—if not the—most reliable players since he came to San Francisco. He’s a horse with the lowest WHIP in the league, currently leading the National League in innings pitched and strikeout-to-walk ratio. He’s near the top of most of the other important stats, too. When Matt Cain is pitching, you’re going to see a great player at work.
Despite the lack of attention, he goes out every night and delivers, and this perfect game is all the more special because he was the one on the mound. The crowd was electric that night and the next day fans all around the ballpark emphasized the fact that they were thankful Cain was the one who got it done. The consensus was he deserved it more than anyone. Cain brings stability and humility to the field and the fans feel it. It doesn’t get better than watching a guy like that pitch his way into history.
27 outs. 14 strikeouts. He even scored a run that night. Matt Cain can do it all.”
Three Up, Three Down 