Pitcher Drew Smiley (34, Chicago Cubs) whose historic record was canceled due to a colleague’s interference with 6 outs left. The colleague who had the ‘accident’ was ashamed, but rather actively defended it.
Smiley took the mound as a starting pitcher for the Chicago Cubs in the 2023 Major League Baseball (MLB) home game against the Los Angeles Dodgers held at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois, USA on the 22nd (Korean time).
Smiley, who took the starting mound for the fourth time this season, cooked the Dodgers lineup with only two pitches, a knuckle curve and a two-seam fastball. After passing the all-star lineup of Mookie Betts, Freddy Freeman, and JD Martinez in a three-way attack in the first inning, he continued his streak of hits.
The help of the other line was also great. The Cubs batters, who scored 5 runs through the 3rd inning, scored 7 runs in just one inning when Patrick Wisdom and Nico Horner hit three-run homers in the 5th inning. With a 13-point gap already in the 6th inning, Smiley virtually confirmed the winning pitcher. The only thing left to do now was whether or not the record was achieved.스포츠토토
Smiley didn’t send a single Dodgers hitter to first base until the seventh inning. From the eighth inning, he was able to achieve a perfect game by only catching six out counts. The Cubs, who joined the league in 1876, have never had a perfect game in 148 seasons. Smiley also went to the mound in the 8th inning.
However, his great record challenge ended in vain. David Peralta, the leadoff hitter in the inning, hit a ground ball that rolled toward third base and missed. At this time, Smiley and catcher Yan Gomes (36) collided while trying to catch a batted ball. With nobody handling the ball, Peralta went on base with an infield hit. It was the moment when the perfect game collapsed. Smiley, who sat down on the ground, made a dejected expression.
After facing two more batters, Smiley was replaced by Jeremiah Estrada and finished pitching. On this day, Smiley finished pitching with 7⅔ innings, 1 hit, 10 strikeouts and no run. It was the first time in two and a half years since the game against San Francisco on September 28, 2020, that he recorded double-digit strikeouts.
Gomes, who broke his teammate’s record, gave an interview wearing a football helmet after the game. According to Josh Friedman of WGN TV News, he was embarrassed, saying, “If there was a rat hole, he wanted to hide in it.” It could be seen that he hid his face with his helmet in shame, since he had interfered with a pitcher who was throwing well.
Gomes said that Smiley’s bullpen pitching before the game was not very good. “Smiley said, ‘Sometimes the worst bullpen session can be the best start,'” he said. “And today it’s his best start ever.”
Indeed, Smiley covered up his colleague’s skin. He commented on the play in the eighth, saying, “One of Goms and I had to play. He knows Goms wanted it as much as I did.” Smiley is said to have shared a bright hug with the Gomes after the game.