Miami Marlins pitcher Eury Perez was removed from Sunday's game against the Oakland Athletics after completing seven perfect innings, having retired all 21 batters he faced on 92 pitches. The decision, made by manager Clayton McCullough, drew a negative reaction from some fans in attendance, who chanted "Shame!" as Perez left the mound.
Perez, making his third start since returning from the injured list, was on the verge of the first perfect game in Marlins franchise history. His replacement, Lake Bachar, surrendered a leadoff walk to end the perfect game in the eighth inning and followed with a single, ending the no-hitter. Bachar then allowed five earned runs on four hits before being relieved.
Marlins manager Clayton McCullough stated that the decision was made with Perez's long-term health and the team's postseason aspirations in mind. "Going into this game, 90-plus was the pitch count, but…us looking to play beyond the regular season, Eury’s going to be an important part of that," McCullough said. "He had it really going today."
Pete Fairbanks pitched the ninth inning, allowing three runs, as the Marlins narrowly held onto their 9-0 lead. Despite the bullpen's struggles, the Marlins secured a series sweep against the Athletics. The team has won nine of its last 12 games and is in a statistical tie for the final wild-card spot in the National League.