With two strikes and two outs in the top of the ninth, Washington Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer was a single pitch away from baseball immortality – a perfect game.
But just like that, it was all over after Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Jose Tabata was hit in the elbow by a pitch.
Watching live, it looked as if Tabata might have leaned into Scherzer’s pitch, but there was also evidence he was trying to get out of the way.
Or was there? ESPN slowed everything down and asked baseball fans what they thought. Did Jose Tabata ruin Max Scherzer’s perfect game?
Did Jose Tabata lean his elbow in to break up Max Scherzer’s perfect game with 2 outs in the 9th? You decide. WATCH: http://t.co/d0BXZG3Viy
— ESPN (@espn) June 20, 2015
Judging by that, it certainly seems that way. It wasn’t overly blatant – it’s not as if he heavily leaned into the plate, but you have to think Tabata probably would have attempted to get out of the way if he didn’t have the elbow protection on.
Regardless, the hit by pitch ended what would have been the first perfect game in Washingtion Nationals history.
A few pitches later, Max Scherzer went on to complete the no-hitter, the Nats second of the season with the first being thrown by Jordan Zimmermann.
