Michael Kopech finished off a rare White Sox victory Wednesday with something even rarer: an immaculate inning.
The flurry of nine strikes on nine pitches was only the second in the 124-year history of the Chicago American League Ballclub and the first since Aug. 22, 1923 — 36,848 days prior — when Hollis “Sloppy” Thurston accomplished the feat against the Philadelphia A’s at Comiskey Park.
In Sox history this achievement is rarer than a perfect game, a no-hitter, a World Series title and a walkoff grand slam.
Kopech’s electric march into Sox history also made the park come alive even in this miserable season. To paraphrase Terrance Mann in “Field of Dreams,” the immaculate inning “… reminds us of all that once was good, and it could be again.”
It also highlights another aspect of baseball I love: In every game, no matter how mundane, something incredibly special can happen. It could be so unique it may have never happened before or never will happen again.
Wednesday was probably the 15,000th baseball game I’ve watched in my life and this was my first immaculate inning.
I’ve now witnessed as many perfect games as I have immaculate innings.
A few more nuggets on the feat …
*Kopech recorded the 116th immaculate inning in MLB history
*it was the first in the ninth and the first to finish off a win since Sept. 16, 2022 when Ryan Helsey saved the Cardinals 6-5 win vs the Reds
*it was the first by an American League pitcher finishing off a victory since the Red Sox Craig Kimbrel went 9-pitches/9-strikes in ninth for the win over the Brewers on May 11, 2017
*prior to Kopech the last AL pitcher to notch a save with an immaculate inning was the Rays Rafael Soriano on Aug. 23, 2010
*Kopech recorded the first immaculate inning for a save by an American League pitcher in a home game since Doug Jones nailed down the Brewers’ 7-4 win over Kansas City at Milwaukee County Stadium on Sept. 23, 1997
*Kopech’s immaculate inning was the first in Chicago since LaTroy Hawkins mowed down the Marlins to save the Cubs’ 5-2 win at Wrigley Field on Sept. 11, 2002.
*Korey Lee joins Hall-of-Famer Ray Schalk as Sox to catch an immaculate inning
*speaking of catching … Martin Maldonado is the only catcher to be on the receiving end of two immaculate innings in a game. On June 15, 2023 for Houston he caught the “I-Is” of Luis Garcia and Phil Maton
*the Sox have been victimized by an immaculate inning four times and all by left-handers: Billy Hoeft, Lefty Grove, Ron Guidry and Jimmy Key.
What now is the rarest feat in Sox history?
How about a four-strikeout inning?
This has only been done once.
On Aug. 21, 1997 in Detroit, Wilson Alvarez struck out Tony Clark, Phil Nevin, Tony Phillips and Orlando Miller with Nevin reaching on a wild pitch for the only 4 K inning in Sox history.