Expert: Brian Flaspohler - 5/20/2010

Question
Would a pitcher be credited with a perfect game if a fielder drops a foul ball, thus prolonging an at bat (for an error) but the pitcher retires that batter anyway, and no batter reaches base? I guess it boils down to if a perfect game is considered a pitchers stat or a team stat?  I checked all the box scores and saw that is has never happened in the majors. and I am guessing that if a pitcher was ever working on a perfect game and this happened, the announcers wouldn't be sure either.  I know it would seem weird to see a 1 in the error column of a perfect game.

Answer
Tom,

It would still be a perfect game.  The official definition is:

"A perfect game is defined by Major League Baseball as a game in which a pitcher (or combination of pitchers) pitches a victory that lasts a minimum of nine innings and in which no opposing player reaches base.[2]  Thus, the pitcher (or pitchers) cannot allow any hits, walks, hit batsmen, or any opposing player to reach base safely for any other reason—in short, "27 up, 27 down."

So actually, it could be two pitchers combining for a perfect game, but an error that doesn't allow someone to reach, would not cancel out the perfection.

Hope this helps!

Brian