MLB News: Umpire Mark Ripperger gains ‘perfect game’ distinction

MLB umpire Mark Ripperger is receiving praise for how he called a recent game.

Ripperger was behind home plate for Thursday’s game between the Kansas City Royals and the Minnesota Twins. While the Royals’ shortstop Bobby Witt Jr.’s sacrifice fly broke the tie in the seventh inning, much of the talk after the game was about Ripperger.

The umpire was credited with calling a “perfect game,” which is something that reportedly has happened just one other time in the Umpire Scorecards era.

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Umpire Scorecards compile the major league’s advanced pitch-tracking data to rate how accurate an umpire was during a given game. The data also considers how an umpire’s call impacts the game. 

Ripperger made calls for 136 pitches on Thursday. According to Umpire Scorecards metrics, he called every pitch accurately.

Kansas City trailed Minnesota by a run on Thursday before rallying in the seventh inning. Royals starter Michael Wacha pitched 5.1 innings, giving up two earned runs. He also struck out four batters.

The Royals’ 2-3 win over the Twins on Thursday was followed by a 7-0 loss to the Guardians on Friday.

Former MLB umpire Pat Hoberg is credited with the only other perfect game Umpire Scorecards has recorded. Hoberg accomplished that feat in Game 2 of the 2023 World Series.

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