Pérez's Historic Near-Perfect
Pérez's Perfect Game Bid Ends in Seventh, Marlins Hold On For Dramatic 9-8 Victory
Key Points
Pérez carried seven perfect innings on 92 pitches (56 strikes) in his third return from the IL, striking out eight and marking the deepest outing of his three-start return. He had not previously thrown this many pitches in his IL-return starts.
Lake Bachar did not retire any of the six batters he faced in the eighth, starting with a leadoff walk to Lawrence Butler and a bloop single by Joshua Kuroda-Grauer, before Jonah Heim’s grand slam cut Miami’s lead from 8-0 to 8-5.
The Marlins entered the game with a historic angle, as they have six no-hitters in franchise history but have never pitched a perfect game; there was discussion of pursuing a first-ever franchise perfect game or a potential combined perfecto if the bullpen had held.
Miami’s road trip featured a franchise-record 12 homers in the three-game series, helping the Marlins to a 7-3 trip mark and pushing their record to seven games over .500 for the season.
Perez’s injury history includes a right gracilis high-grade strain that sidelined him earlier in the season, plus a May hamstring spasm that required assistance to leave the dugout; he had surgery rehab noted ahead of his 2024 season.
Eury Pérez retired all 21 batters he faced over seven innings, carrying a perfect game into the eighth before Miami's bullpen surrendered a grand slam in a 9-8 Marlins win over the Oakland Athletics, according to Miami Herald. The crowd booed and chanted "shame" as Pérez was pulled after just 92 pitches — a workload decision tied to his return from the injured list.
The Marlins swept Oakland in three games and improved to seven games over .500. Times Gazette reported the win capped a road trip in which Miami hit a franchise-record 12 home runs in the series alone.
Pérez Pulled at 92 Pitches With History on the Line
Pérez was sharp from the first pitch. He struck out eight batters and threw 56 of his 92 pitches for strikes. It was his third start back from the injured list and the deepest outing of that return stretch. The Marlins have never thrown a perfect game in franchise history — they have six no-hitters but zero perfects, according to Miami Herald.
Miami's manager pulled Pérez with two outs in the seventh, protecting a 21-year-old arm that has dealt with serious injuries. Earlier this season, Pérez suffered a right gracilis high-grade strain. He also had a May hamstring spasm so bad he needed help leaving the dugout. Keeping his pitch count low made sense — but the crowd did not agree.
Bachar Allows Walk, Single, and a Grand Slam in the Eighth
Reliever Lake Bachar entered in the eighth with Miami up 8-0. He did not retire a single one of the six batters he faced. It started with a leadoff walk to Lawrence Butler, then a bloop single by Joshua Kuroda-Grauer. Three batters later, Jonah Heim launched a grand slam, cutting the lead to 8-4 and ending the no-hit bid in one swing.
The A's kept pushing. Oakland eventually closed the gap to 8-5 before Miami added an insurance run. Closer Pete Fairbanks then survived a shaky ninth to seal the 9-8 win, per Yahoo Sports. The final score made what had been a blowout feel much closer than it should have been.
Fans React With Boos and "Shame" Chants After Removal
The moment Pérez walked off the mound, the crowd turned. Fans chanted "shame" as Bachar struggled on the mound, according to 5 News Online. The backlash hit both managers — Miami's for pulling Pérez and Oakland's for strategic decisions late in the game.
The reaction was understandable. A perfect game through seven innings is extraordinarily rare. There have been only 24 official perfect games in MLB history. The Marlins had never had one. With an 8-0 lead, fans felt the team had enough cushion to let Pérez try to make history.
Marlins Finish Trip 7-3 With Franchise-Record Power Surge
Despite the late drama, Miami left Sacramento in strong shape. The Marlins went 7-3 on their road trip and now sit seven games above .500. Their 12 home runs in the three-game Oakland series set a new franchise record for a single series, per Times Gazette.
Pérez remains one of Miami's biggest assets even after the near-miss. He showed real upside in this start — seven perfect innings at age 21 in just his third outing back from injury is a strong sign. The bigger worry now is keeping him healthy the rest of the season.
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