Thursday afternoon’s game between the San Francisco Giants and Colorado Rockies featured a dominant pitcher etching his name into the Major League Baseball record books.
That pitcher was none other than… Yusmeiro Petit?
If you have no idea who that is, we forgive you. Petit typically has been used this season as a spot starter and long reliever, and on July 22, he surrendered five runs in five innings to raise his ERA to 4.24 on the season.
He then proceed to retire the next 46 batters he faced.
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His last out, a strikeout of Rockies shortstop Charlie Culberson, broke the record of 45 consecutive batters retired set in 2009 by then-Chicago White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle.
Petit’s amazing run began when he set down the last batter he faced in his July 22 start. He then returned to the bullpen and was absolutely lights-out, allowing no runners to reach in his next six relief appearances.
Petit got the start again Thursday and took a no-hitter into the third inning against Colorado before Rockies pitcher Jordan Lyles finally put an end to it all by smacking a double.
Despite snapping his historic streak, 29-year-old Venezuelan recovered to have quite the day, giving up just one run in six innings while striking out nine in a 4-1 Giants win.
Petit might not be a household name, but it’ll be hard to forget a performance like that.
Thumbnail photo via Twitter/@SuNoticiero
