TORONTO BLUE JAYS ON THIS DAY

MARCH 14, 2000 CAN YOU SAY PERFECT

For perhaps the first time in the history of Major League Baseball, the Toronto Blue Jays were at the receiving end of one of the rarest achievements in the game. In front of a sold out City of Palm Stadium, the Boston Red Sox threw a “perfect game” while defeating the Blue Jays 5-0.

Baseball historians and record keepers were in agreement in their uncertainty if one had ever been attained during a spring training contest. What was certain, every recorded “perfect game” had been performed by one pitcher alone. On this day, the Red Sox used six.

Defending Cy Young Award winner Pedro Martinez led off for the Red Sox, recording six strikeouts during his three innings of work. He was followed on the mound by Fernando De la Cruz, Dan Smith, “Canadian” Rheal Cormier, Rich Garces and Rob Beck. In defense of the Blue Jays, they were without regulars Carlos Delgado, Raul Mondesi, Shannon Stewart and Alex Gonzalez.

It was not the first time that the Blue Jays were victims of a perfect game. Len Barker accomplished the remarkable feat back on May 15, 1981 at Cleveland’s old Memorial Stadium. Barker’s feat was only the tenth “perfect game” recorded during the modern era of Major League Baseball.

Blue Jay manager Jim Fregosi certainly had the quote of the day afterwards when he quipped, “First time in my career that the bus ride was longer than the game”.

Mark Yurkin