Trivia Teaser
On this date (March 15) in 2000, the Boston Red Sox defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 5-0 in a Spring Training game at City of Palms Park. Nomar Garciaparra was the offensive hero – driving in four of the five runs on a three-run home run and a run-plating single.
Your question: Who were the Red Sox pitchers in that game?
Photo by dizzy-eyed 
Garciaparra’s four RBI on March 15, 2000, were hardly the highlight of the day for the just over 7,100 fans in attendance. What they saw that day was the first – and still only – perfect game pitched in MLB Spring Training.
Pedro Martinez started the game and went three perfect frames, fanning six. He was followed by five more Boston hurlers, who fanned another five batters, while recording 18 more consecutive outs.
Here’s the lineup of Boston pitchers for the contest:
Pedro Martinez … 3 innings pitched – Six strikeouts
The future Hall of Famer would go on to win the 2000 AL Cy Young Award (his third CYA) with an 18-6 record and a league-low 1.74 earned run average. In an 18-season MLB career, Martinez would go 219-100, 2.93 and lead his league in wins once, winning percentage three times, strikeouts three times and ERA five times.
Fernando de la Cruz … Two innings – One strikeout
De la Cruz would never play in the major leagues. He would put up a 16-27, 6.40 record in seven minor league seasons. He would also play in Japanese Pacific League; Mexican League; Mexican Pacific Winter League; Dominican Winter League; and Atlantic League (Independent). In 2000, after taking part in that perfect outing, he played for the Trenton Thunder of the Eastern league – going 3-5, 6.37.
Dan Smith … One Inning – One strikeout
Smith spent the bulk of the 2000 season in the minors –at Triple A – where he went 7-10, 4.84. He pitched in four MLB seasons, going 7-12, 5.23. His claim to fame is probably the fact that he gave up Tony Gwynn’s 3,000th hit (August 6, 1999).
Rheal Cornier … One inning
Cornier enjoyed a 16-season MLB career (making his final MLB appearance at age 40). He was 71-64, 4.03 in 683 appearances (108 starts). In 2000, he went 3-3, 4.61 in 64 games for the Red Sox. His best season was 2003, when he finished 8-0, with a 1.70 earned run average for the Phillies (64 appearances). In 1984, he appeared in 84 games for the Phillies (4-5, 3.56).
Rich Garces … One inning – One strikeout
Garces won eight games in relief for the 2000 Red Sox (8-1, 3.25 in 64 appearances). In ten MLB seasons, he went 23-10, 3.74 in 287 relief appearances.
Rod Beck … One Inning – One Strikeout
Beck went 3-0, 3.10 in 34 appearances for the Red Sox in 2000. Over his career, he was 38-45, 3.30, with 286 saves. Between 1993 and 1998, he was one of the premier closers in the National League, saving 232 games for the Giants and Cubs. In 1999, he logged 51 saves for the Cubs, fanning 81 batters in 80 1/3 innings.
Primary Resources: Remembering Pedro Martinez’ perfect Spring Training Game, by David Dorsey (new-press.com) January 6, 2015); Baseball-Reference.com
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