Taiwanese right-hander Wang Chien-ming (王建民) flirted with perfection on Saturday as he pitched the New York Yankees to an 8-1 victory over the Seattle Mariners.
Wang retired the first 22 batters he faced, becoming the first Yankee starter to pitch eight innings this season.
He baffled the Mariners with an effective sinker through seven-and-a-third innings, inducing 12 ground-ball outs, retiring six on flyouts and striking out four before Ben Broussard ruined the bid for a perfect game, as well as a no-hitter and shutout, with his second home run of the season.
Richie Sexson led off the eighth with a comebacker, leaving Wang five outs shy of a perfect game. But Broussard, who was hitting .188 this season, launched an 0-1 pitch over the wall in right-center field.
Jose Guillen followed with a single. Wang then got Kenji Johjima to ground into an inning-ending double play.
Wang was given a standing ovation by the crowd as he walked to the dugout.
The last Yankee to pitch a perfect game at Yankee Stadium was David Cone against Montreal on July 18, 1999, in a 6-0 victory.
That year ended with manager Joe Torre winning his third World Series title with New York.
Randy Johnson is the last pitcher to throw a perfect game, achieving the feat for the Arizona Diamondbacks in a 2-0 win over the Atlanta Braves on May 18, 2004.
Wang was also bidding to become the second player to throw a no-hitter this season. Mark Buehrle tossed one for the Chicago White Sox on April 18 against Texas.
Meanwhile, former Yankee Jeff Weaver lost for the fifth time in as many starts.
The Yankees held just a 1-0 lead against Weaver before erupting for five runs in the sixth inning. Derek Jeter highlighted the inning with a two-run double.
Bobby Abreu led off the sixth with a bunt single, Alex Rodriguez followed with a single to center and Jason Giambi walked to load the bases. Weaver then hit Hideki Matsui with a pitch to force in a run and Jorge Posada lined an RBI single.
After Robinson Cano struck out and Doug Mientkiewicz grounded into a fielder's choice, Melky Cabrera walked and Jeter doubled in two to make it 6-0.
Twins 2, Red Sox 1
At Minneapolis, Johan Santana picked up the win in a five-inning outing, beating Boston's Julian Tavarez, who turned in his best start of the year.
Jason Bartlett's infield single in a two-run second inning was enough to beat Tavarez (1-3), who struck out seven while allowing four hits, two runs and three walks in six innings.
The only score against Santana (4-2) came on a bloop double by Dustin Pedroia that hit the white line with two outs in the fourth and drove in Wily Mo Pena.
White Sox 6, Angels 3
At Anaheim, California, Jon Garland won for the first time this season and Chicago ended a five-game losing streak.
Garland (1-2), an 18-game winner in each of the past two seasons, gave up three runs and eight hits over seven-plus innings. Bobby Jenks, the fourth Chicago pitcher, worked a perfect ninth for his ninth save in 10 attempts.
After squandering an early 3-0 lead, the White Sox went ahead in the sixth against John Lackey (4-3). A.J. Pierzynski doubled just inside the left-field line and Joe Crede's two-out single made it 4-3.
Orioles 8, Indians 2
At Baltimore, Daniel Cabrera pitched seven innings of three-hit ball and Ramon Hernandez homered and drove in four runs for Baltimore.
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