Credit: Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK
Roki Sasaki almost did it again.
A week after throwing a perfect game for the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball, Sasaki followed up with eight perfect innings Sunday against the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.
The 20-year-old struck out 14 before he was lifted after throwing 102 pitches. The game was scoreless at the time, and the Marines lost 1-0 in 10 innings. ESPN said his pitches reportedly still were reaching 101 mph when he was pulled from the game.
No runner has reached base against Sasaki in 52 consecutive plate appearances, a league record.
In four starts, Sasaki has a 1.16 ERA with 56 strikeouts. In 31 innings, he’s given up seven hits and two walks.
In his perfect game last Sunday, Sasaki tied a Nippon Professional League record with 19 strikeouts — 13 in a row — against the Orix Buffaloes. It was Japan’s first perfect game since 1994.
–Field Level Media