Nobody expected it.
You take the mound like any other night, retire the first three batters from 1-2-3 and return to the clubhouse.
You continue your train of work and entry after entry you get closer to a historic performance.
you get it.
You become the fourth pitcher for the New York Yankees, the winningest team in Major League Baseball with 27 titles with a perfect game.
On a list that includes Don Larsen, who did it in the 1956 World Series, then David Wells followed in his footsteps in 1998 and David Cone in 1999.
How does New York receive you after a perfect night?
To a standing ovation at Yankee Stadium, Domingo Germán took the mound and immediately easily retired the first three Orioles batters.
The match
Gunnar Henderson struck out on five pitches.
Adley Rutschman grounded out to shortstop.
And finally, Anthony Santander was retired with a groundout to third base.
In the second episode the magic of the Dominican ended.
Ryan O’Hearn connected unstoppable to left field and reached second base on an error by center fielder Harrison Bader.
Then, Ramón Urías connected hit to the right meadow.
And with runners on first and third Cedric Mullins brought in the first round for the Orioles.
Aaron Hicks was dominated with a fly to second base.
Ramón Urías was tagged out, moving to second base.
Adam Frazier grounded out to the pitcher.
Adley Rutschman drove in the second round for the Baltimore Orioles in the third inning.
The Yankees were able to bounce back, scoring two runs in the fifth on solo homers by Kyle Higashioka and Anthony Volpe.
Then in the eighth inning, Harrison Bader hit a three-run home run to lead the Yankees to a 6-3 win over the Orioles.
Germán pitched four and a third innings, in which he allowed three runs, two earned, and nine hits with five strikeouts.
He left without a decision. His ERA stands at 4.52, after 16 starts in 2023.
The next outing for the Dominican pitcher is projected for Saturday, July 8, against the Chicago Cubs.
Cap to Cooperstown
The cap worn by Domingo Germán in the perfect game will be taken to the Cooperstown Major League Baseball Hall of Fame.
This will be one of the many baseball gadgets that will have a special place in the niche of baseball immortals, where the best moments of the game are saved and promoted.