Felix Hernandez throws 23rd perfect game in MLB history

SEATTLE - King Felix now has a crowning achievement.

Felix Hernandez pitched the Seattle Mariners' first perfect game and the 23rd in baseball history, overpowering the Tampa Bay Rays in a brilliant 1-0 victory Wednesday.

The Mariners' ace and former AL Cy Young Award winner has long talked of his desire to achieve pitching perfection. He finally accomplished it against the Rays, striking out the side twice and finishing with 12 strikeouts.

It was the third perfect game in baseball this season -- a first -- joining gems by Chicago's Philip Humber against the Mariners in April and San Francisco's Matt Cain against Houston in June, and it was the sixth no-hitter.  

"I don't have any words to explain this," Hernandez said to the crowd, speaking on the field after the final out. "I've been working so hard to throw one and today is for you guys."

Desmond Jennings pinch hit for Jose Lobaton to open the ninth. Hernandez got ahead 1-2 before Jennings fouled off two straight and Hernandez fanned him on a 92 mph fastball down in the zone. Jeff Keppinger batted for Elliot Johnson and grounded out to shortstop on a 1-2 pitch.

With one out to go, Sean Rodriguez got ahead of Hernandez 2-0. Hernandez came back with two straight breaking balls for strikes and ended perfection with a called third strike.

Hernandez (11-5) threw his arms up to the sky and was mobbed by his teammates at the pitcher's mound. He embraced catcher John Jaso for a few seconds and then shared hugs with the rest of his teammates.

"It was in my mind, the whole game, it was in my mind," Hernandez said.

It was the second no-hitter this season for the Mariners -- doubling the franchise's total entering the year -- and third total at Safeco Field after the park went more than a dozen years without one. After Humber's perfect game, a six-pack of Seattle pitchers tossed a combined no-hitter against the Dodgers in June. After the six Seattle pitchers -- Kevin Millwood, Charlie Furbush, Brandon League, Tom Wilhelmsen, Stephen Pryor and Lucas Luetge.

"He never did struggle. He kept making good pitches the whole way through," Jaso said. "The last at-bat of the game, falling down 2-0, he just kept his confidence. It was great."

Unlike Cain's perfect game in June, Hernandez didn't need the help of a career-high in strikeouts or spectacular catches.

Hernandez cruised through the first five innings with little trouble. The most concerning moment may have been Sam Fuld's deep fly ball to right center leading off the game that Eric Thames tracked down on the edge of the warning track. Evan Longoria line drive leading off the fifth eluded Hernandez's glove but was directly at second