Felix Hernandez threw a perfect game against the Rays at Safeco this afternoon, beating Tampa 1-0. Hernandez struck out 12. It is the first perfect game in Mariners history.

Perfect games used to be incredibly rare in baseball, but that’s not the case anymore:

1880-1989: 12 perfect games.
1990 -2012: 11 perfect games.

Hernandez tossed the third perfect game this season. The other two were by Philip Humber and Matt Cain.

Previously: Why Have There Been So Many More Perfect Games Recently?