Rays’ Drew Rasmussen sees perfect game broken up in 9th inning

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Drew Rasmussen’s shot at a perfect game was broken up Sunday after a double by Baltimore Orioles shortstop Jorge Mateo.

Rasmussen had sent 24 Orioles batters down in order before Mateo’s double to start the ninth inning. Rasmussen was up to about 80 pitches before Mateo’s line drive down the third baseline. The right-handed pitcher received a standing ovation from the fans at Tropicana Field.

Terrin Vavra grounded out but managed to move Mateo to third base. A wild pitch from Rasmussen led Mateo to score from third. He would later be relieved for Jason Adam.

Tampa Bay got control of the game in the third inning. Randy Arozarena hit a three-run homer of Orioles starter Jordan Lyles. David Peralta would then single home Taylor Walls in the fifth inning to make the game 4-0.

Mateo’s score cut the Rays’ lead to three runs.

SAN DIEGO PADRES REACT TO FERNANDO TATIS JR. SUSPENSION: ‘YOU HOPE HE GROWS UP’

Tampa Bay won the game, 4-1.

Rasmussen entered the game with a 2.96 ERA and 75 strikeouts with a 7.4 K/9 ratio. He struck out seven in the Rays’ win.

He’s in the middle of his first full season with Tampa Bay. The Rays acquired him from the Milwaukee Brewers last season.

He would have been the first pitcher to throw a perfect game since Felix Hernandez did it for the Seattle Mariners in 2012.

The Rays have never had a pitcher complete a perfect game but have had three perfect games pitched against them – the last being against Hernandez.