Of the almost 200,000 Major League Baseball games played over 134 years, only 19 games have been perfect, in which no member of one team reached base for any reason. The trick is a rarity in Little League, as well, as just one walk or fielding error would ruin a pitcher’s ultimate accomplishment.
But the Scotts Valley Little League didn’t need a Major League game to see its own version of perfection May 15, when Sawyer Stemm of the Majors Division Rangers performed the feat in a six-inning victory against the first-place Brewers.
It was the league’s first perfect game in four years.
“I knew I was pitching well, because everything was going where it was supposed to,” Stemm said afterward. “But I didn’t really think about it until the last out of the game.”
Even if he didn’t, his teammates did.
Apparently unfamiliar with the longtime baseball superstition about never saying out loud that a no-hitter or perfect game is in progress, Stemm’s teammates regularly reminded him of the fact from the third inning on.
“After the kids started talking about it, I asked the announcers,” Rangers’ coach Jeff Lane said. “They said ‘We didn’t say anything!’ but made it clear it was true.”
“I didn’t say anything to Sawyer either,” Lane confessed.
Stemm was quick to single out great defense behind him, noting that Kyle Raymond and Jonathan Steen in particular made several fine plays to retire hitters. Eight of Stemm’s 18 recorded outs were strikeouts.
“Great things happen to great kids, and Sawyer is a great kid,” said Brewers’ coach Art Danner. “Once he got on a roll, my guys could not find their balance.”
The game further bunched up the league’s Majors Division standings, where just one game separates the top four teams — the Rangers, Brewers, Giants and Cardinals — with only a handful of contests left on their 19-game schedules.
As impressive as the on-field accomplishment was, Lane said a moment at the following day’s workout was the most special of all. While the team practiced, a passer-by who had heard the news congratulated Stemm on his feat. The 12-year old pitcher’s response was, “Thanks. I had a lot of help from my team.”
“To hear him willingly giving the accolades back to the team, that was really cool,” Lane said. “That’s the highlight of my year right there.”
