Reds rookie Travis Wood took a perfect game into the ninth inning before giving up Carlos Ruiz’s leadoff double, and the Philadelphia Phillies stunned Cincinnati again by winning 1-0 Saturday night on Jimmy Rollins’ RBI single in the 11th.
Making his third big league start, Wood dominated Philadelphia’s injury-depleted lineup and matched zeros for nine innings with Phillies ace Roy Halladay, who threw a perfect game of his own May 29 in Florida.
The 23-year-old left-hander was trying for the third perfecto in the majors this year—not to mention the one Detroit right-hander Armando Galarraga was denied because of a missed call at first base by umpire Jim Joyce.
The only other time there have been two perfect games in one season was 1880.
Ruiz, just off the disabled list, opened the ninth with a line drive to deep left-center that landed cleanly in the alley. Wood stayed in, however, and worked out of the jam. Pinch-hitter Wilson Valdez fouled out trying to bunt, pinch-hitter Raul Ibanez flied out and Rollins fouled out, sending the scoreless game to extra innings.
That was it for Wood, who struck out eight and walked none while throwing 74 of 109 pitches for strikes. He was relieved by Nick Masset in the 10th.
With one out in the 11th, Ruiz hit another double, this one off Bill Bray (0-1). Valdez was intentionally walked and pinch-hitter Ross Gload flied out before Rollins lined a single to right off Logan Ondrusek, easily scoring Ruiz.
“We battled, it just wasn’t our night tonight,” Wood said. “We’re putting together good ballgames, we’re just coming up a little bit short.”
It’s the first time the Phillies have had three straight walk-off wins in extra innings. They scored six times in the ninth to tie the game Friday night and won on Ryan Howard’s two-run homer in the 10th. Brian Schneider hit a game-ending homer in the 12th on Thursday night, also against the NL Central-leading Reds.
Jose Contreras (4-3) earned the victory in this one by striking out two in a scoreless inning.
Beaten out for the fifth starter’s job by Mike Leake in spring training, Wood returned to take the rotation spot previously held by Homer Bailey(notes) and Sam LeCure.
“I got sent down and I just went down there and got my stuff together,” Wood said. “Just did what I had to do to get back up here.”
Wood, who made his big league debut July 1 against the Chicago Cubs, went to three balls only three times Saturday—to Ben Francisco. Cody Ransom and Jayson Werth.
Before the ninth, the closest the Phillies came to a hit was in the fourth, when third baseman Miguel Cairo(notes) jumped to snag Shane Victorino’s liner. Francisco lined a ball hard in the eighth, but right at left fielder Jonny Gomes.
“Their guys pitched equally well,” Wood said.
Halladay struck out nine and walked one in his last outing before he heads to the All-Star game. His ERA dropped to 2.19.
Colorado’s Ubaldo Jimenez and Arizona’s Edwin Jackson also have thrown no-hitters this season.
Tom Browning is the only Reds pitcher to pitch a perfect game, when he beat the Dodgers 1-0 on Sept. 16, 1988.
Halladay denied the Reds any real chance to score, allowing five hits in nine innings. He let only one runner reach third base, but escaped that jam by striking out Ryan Hanigan and Wood.
NOTES: C Dane Sardinha was designated for assignment before the game to make roster room for Ruiz. … Phillies 3B Placido Polanco will head to Clearwater, Fla., on Sunday and begin a minor league rehab assignment. … Reds 3B Scott Rolen missed his second straight game with a stiff back.
