A pitcher is said to throw an immaculate inning when he strikes out three batters in an inning on nine straight pitches. There have been 100+ immaculate innings in major-league history, though itâs likely that some earlier ones were never recorded as the term didnât exist until the 2000s.
Sandy Koufax is the only pitcher to toss three immaculate innings, and there have been
Lefty Grove, Nolan Ryan, Randy Johnson, Max Scherzer, Kevin Gausman and Chris Sale. The Kansas City Royalsâ Danny Jackson is the only pitcher to throw an immaculate inning in a post-season game, striking out the St. Louis Cardinalsâ Terry Pendleton, Tom Nieto, Brian Harper in the 7th inning of Game 5 of the 1985 World Series on Thursday, Oct. 25 of that year.
  An immaculate inning occurs when a pitcher strikes out all three batters he faces in one inning, using the minimum possible number of pitches â nine. The strikeouts can either be of the swinging or the caught looking variety, and there can be foul balls involved. The purest form of the feat wouldâŠ
In the seventh inning of the Piratesâ 2-1 loss to St. Louis at PNC Park, Ross Ohlendorf strikes out the side on nine pitches, becoming only the 41st pitcher in major league history to accomplish the feat. The 27 year-old right-handerâs victims during his immaculate inning are Redbirds Kevin Greene, Julio Lugo, and Jason LaRue, all who are retired at first base after swinging at pitches in the dirt.
2004 â Despite a 6-2 loss to Milwaukee, reliever Brandon Backe becomes the third pitcher in franchise history to strike out the side on nine pitches. He whiffs Bill Hall, Scott Podsednik and Craig Counsell in order after having fanned Chad Moeller to end the previous frame. Craig Biggio swats the 35th leadoff homer of his career, an NL record.Â
At Fenway Park, Pedro Martinez becomes the 11th pitcher in American League history to record an immaculate inning when he strikes out the side on nine pitches in the first frame. The Red Sox right-hander fans Ichiro Suzuki, Mark McLemore, and Ruben Sierra to begin Bostonâs eventual 4-1 victory over Seattle.
1991 â Pete Harnisch becomes the second Astro to strike out the side on nine pitches. It happens in the seventh inning of a 3-1 triumph over the Phillies. Harnisch scatters four hits while Jeff Bagwell and Andujar Cedeno go deep for all of Houstonâs runs.Â
Cubs relief pitcher Bruce Sutter strikes out the first six batters he faces including three men in the 9th on nine pitches.
In the top of the fourth inning of a losing effort to Philadelphia, Cubsâ starter Milt Pappas strikes out the side, throwing just nine pitches. Greg Luzinski, Don Money, and Mike Anderson are the victims of the right-handerâs immaculate inning.
On May 12, 1969, At Busch Stadium, St. Louis Cardinals fireballer Bob Gibson becomes the seventh pitcher in National League history to strike out the side on nine pitches. In the 7th inning Gibson fans, Len Gabrielson, Paul Popovich and Pinch Hitter John Miller. Gibson (4-2) beats the Los Angeles Dodgers, 6-2. Gibson also wentâŠ
Al Downing, en route to a 5-3 complete game victory at Cleveland Stadium, strikes out the side in the second frame on nine consecutive pitches. The victims of the Yankee southpawâs immaculate inning are clean-up batter Tony Horton, Don Demeter, and Duke Sims.
1964 â Bob Bruce ties a major-league record by striking out the side on nine pitches in the eighth inning against the Cardinals. It happens in a 6-1 loss to Bob Gibson. Bruce fans Bill White, Charley Jones and Ken Boyer in perfect order. The next inning, after a leadoff single, Bruce KOs Tim McCarver, Julian Javier and Gibson for good measure.
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