In the five previous editions of the World Baseball Classic, there has never been a perfect game. That is, until Monday night, as Puerto Rico pitched a combined perfect game against Israel.
Four pitchers in total contributed to the perfect game. José De León pitched almost six perfect innings and was only pulled due to hitting the 65-pitch limit. Yacksel Ríos, Edwin Díaz, and Duane Underwood Jr. pitched the rest of the game.
WALK OFF. PERFECT GAME.
A historic performance for Team Puerto Rico 🇵🇷 pic.twitter.com/FGKQic4cxH
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) March 14, 2023
This game ended in eight innings, thanks to the mercy rule, as Puerto Rico scored the clinching tenth run. Just hearing the words “walk off perfect game” is strange, but that’s the magic of the World Baseball Classic.
Many took notice of the game, specifically noting the sheer absurdity of the circumstances.
Here's a sentence that has never been written before and won't ever be written again: A baseball team just finished a perfect game with a walk-off hit in the eighth inning.
Puerto Rico 10, Israel 0
Four pitchers combine for the first perfect game in WBC history. Mercy-rule win.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 14, 2023
Puerto Rico has just thrown a combined perfect game (eight innings/mercy-run role) against Israel. It's the first in WBC history and is indeed, a walk-off perfect game. Incredible.
— Katie Woo (@katiejwoo) March 14, 2023
In his playing career, Yadier Molina never caught so much as a no hitter, let alone a perfect game. So, of course, it took him less than six months to manage one.
— Jeff Jones (@jmjones) March 14, 2023
WALKOFF PERFECT GAME
for real
— Mike Petriello (@mike_petriello) March 14, 2023
There’s a lot of things I didn’t have on my Twitter bingo card this week, so to say I was expecting a walk-off perfect game… I’d be lying.
— Chris Henrique (@ChrisHenrique) March 14, 2023
A walk-off mercy rule perfect game, days after an entire group ended in a five-way tie? This is the Sickos Baseball Classic pic.twitter.com/nrqtjJQMj9
— Sickos of Summer (@SickosOfSummer) March 14, 2023
Right now, Puerto Rico is in a position to advance to the knockout stage. Still, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic will make it difficult in Group D. If the Dominican Republic beats Israel Tuesday, that moves them past Puerto Rico for second. Regardless, it’s likely going to come down to a must-win for both Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic to see who has the best chance to finish second. Puerto Rico having the benefit of a day off might give them the edge.
