Sports
Young Nearly Achieves Perfect Game in Orioles Victory
Rookie right-hander Grayson Young bounced back in a big way Friday night, coming within four outs of throwing the first perfect game in Baltimore Orioles history. This impressive outing came after a tough season start, where he dropped to 0-6 and saw his earned run average (ERA) balloon to 6.70.
Young, 26, faced the Houston Astros at Daikin Park, where he initially struggled in his previous start on August 9, allowing six runs over three innings. He acknowledged that moving past such bad outings is easier said than done. “Honestly, it’s easier said than done, trying to flush bad outings like that,” he stated. “But just looking forward to the next [start] and trying to prepare myself.”
On Friday, Young’s near-perfect game was derailed when former teammate Ramon Urias reached base with an infield single caused by a rushed throw after Young fielded a bouncer to the left of the mound. “I thought I could make the play,” Young commented. “I got there in time. I think I had a little more time to maybe take a step and make a better throw.”
Despite the mishap, Young struck out the next batter with a fastball clocked at 96 mph to finish the eighth inning. He earned his first win of the season, matching a career-high with six strikeouts while lowering his ERA to 5.68.
This performance marked the longest perfect-game bid for the Orioles since Mike Mussina had a similar attempt broken up in 1998. Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman praised Young’s execution, stating, “He was throwing all of his pitches for strikes, behind in counts, ahead in counts.”
Young was aware of the rarity and pressure associated with his near-perfect game but focused on maintaining his composure. “It’s really hard not to think about it,” he said. “It’s kind of just trying to calm yourself down and think about just one pitch at a time.”
A native of Lumberton, Texas, Young had family in attendance to support him, as he recalled attending games at the same park since childhood. This moment was surely special for him and his family.
