Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, July 29, 1994 TAG: 9407290072
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: ARLINGTON, TEXAS LENGTH: Medium
Rogers (11-6), who became a full-time starter only last season, was helped when rookie center fielder Rusty Greer made a diving catch in right-center on Rex Hudler's leadoff liner in the ninth.
Rogers became the first left-hander to pitch a perfect game in the American League. It was the first perfect game since Dennis Martinez did it for Montreal exactly three years ago in a 2-0 win over Los Angeles.
``I never thought about a perfect game. I was thinking about the no-hitter until the last out,'' Rogers said.
``I just threw strikes. I got ahead of a lot of hitters and that helped a lot,'' he said. ``Rusty Greer, gosh, what can you say after a guy makes a catch like that?''
The last perfect game in the AL was by Mike Witt for the Angels against Texas on Sept.30, 1984, the last day of the season.
Rogers struck out eight, four swinging and four looking. He went to a three-ball count seven times, including four straight batters starting with two out in the sixth, but he retired them all.
Rogers got a standing ovation from the crowd of 46,581 at The Ballpark when he took the mound to start the ninth.
Hudler fell behind 0-2, then sliced a liner to right-center. Greer ran in and over, dived and made a back-handed grab.
``I was going to give it my best effort whether I caught it or not,'' Greer said. ``No matter what, I was going to dive. I got a pretty good jump, just dove and it fell in my glove.''
The catch was similar to the one center fielder Robin Yount made in right-center against Eddie Murray for the final out in a no-hitter by Juan Nieves for Milwaukee in Baltimore on April 15, 1987.
Rogers got the last two outs without much trouble, retiring Chris Turner on a grounder to shortstop and Gary DiSarcina on a routine fly to Greer.
Before the ninth, the Angels hit only a couple of balls hard, but they went right to fielders. Turner lined out to Juan Gonzalez in left in the third and Hudler lined to Gonzalez in the sixth.
Rogers is the third left-hander to pitch a perfect game, joining Sandy Koufax in 1965 and Tom Browning in 1988.
Two other perfect games in baseball have deserved special mention in the record books. Ernie Shore of Boston entered a June 23, 1917, game against Washington to replace starter Babe Ruth, who had been ejected and retired the remaining 26 batters. Harvey Haddix pitched 12 perfect innings in a 0-1, 13-inning loss to the Milwaukee Braves on May 26, 1959.
This was the third no-hitter of the season. Kent Mercker pitched one for Atlanta on April 8 at Los Angeles, and Scott Erickson did it for Minnesota against Milwaukee on April 27.
Rogers, mixing his changeup with a fastball, pitched the fifth no-hitter in Texas history and the first since Nolan Ryan did it on May 1, 1991, against Toronto. The Angels were held hitless for the sixth time, the last time by Joe Cowley of Chicago on Sept.19, 1986.
Rogers pitched his second shutout and sixth complete game of the season. He had been nursing a sore shoulder since hurting it while throwing a curve July 9 against Detroit. He pitched with an extra day of rest against the Angels.
``I really didn't expect to go nine innings, much less get this type of ballgame,'' he said.
After retiring DiSarcina, Rogers was mobbed near the mound. His teammates lifted him on their shoulders, and he saluted the fans.
The no-hitter was the first at The Ballpark, which opened this season.
Rogers, 29, led the Rangers with 16 wins, a club record for a left-hander. He went 16-10 last year, posting more wins (11) than any other AL pitcher after July 6.
Rogers' previous low-hit game was a three-hitter against Milwaukee on April 25, 1993.In 1993, he became just the second major-league pitcher since 1947 to lead his league in appearances one season and become a full-time starter the next year. Rogers appeared in 81 games in 1992. Wilbur Wood of Chicago topped the AL with 77 appearances in 1970 and made 42 starts in 1971.
Rogers had made 21 starts this season and had a 4.32 ERA. He had allowed 153 hits and 49 walks in 148 innings.
The Angels lost their seventh in a row. California began the game batting .265; the team held a one-hour, closed-door meeting after Wednesday's 11-3 loss to Oakland.
Jose Canseco led Texas at the plate, hitting two home runs. He combined with Ivan Rodriguez for consecutive shots in the third.
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BASEBALL
by CNB