NEWYou can now listen to PK Press Club articles!
The launcher starting from the cardinals of St. Louis, Sonny Gray, made one of the most dominant pitching performances of the season during the team’s 5-0 victory against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on Friday.
Gray, 35, finished the “maddux”, launching nine laundry ball sleeves while giving a sure blow and removing 11 strikers with only 89 throws.
Gray’s Performance marks the first time that a launcher has launched a complete laundering of less than 90 locations since 2021. New York Yankees Ace Max Fried was the last launcher to do so, when he closed the Baltimore Orioles as a member of the Braves of Atlanta.
CLICK HERE for more sports cover on Foxnews.com
Sonny Gray des Pitchs des Cardinals de St. Louis during the first round against the Cleveland Guardians in Progressive Field on June 27, 2025, in Cleveland. (Nick Cammett / Getty Images)
Triple All-Star launched seven full games during his 13-year career, but Friday’s full match was Gray’s first since 2017, when he did with the Yankees.
“I did it much earlier in my career, and it’s been a while,” said Gray after the match. “You do not know if you would be able to do it, especially the way the matches have happened, and especially with me. Like, I do not throw more than 100 locations very often.”
Ketel Marte receives a standing ovation from Diamondbacks fans in the first home game since the controversial heckling
The launcher of the cardinals of St. Louis Sonny Gray launched during the first round against the Cleveland Guardians in Cleveland on Friday June 27, 2025. (AP photo / Sue Ogrocki)
Gray has never launched more than 12 locations in the round and succeeded two rounds with eight locations or less. Gray was on the attack throughout the match with 19 strikes in the first round at the 28 strikers he faced.
The starter of the cardinals withdrew 15 of Cleveland strikers on three throws or less, including six on the first throw.
The launcher starting from the cardinals of St. Louis Sonny Gray (54) and his teammates celebrate a victory against the Cleveland Guardians at the Progressive Field on June 27, 2025 in Cleveland. (Images David Richard / Imagn)
“I knew that the sleeves went a little.” When I went out for the ninth, it was like another round, which was good. “
The Cardinals (45-38) will try to rely on Gray’s performance when they face The Guardians (40-40) in the second match in a series of three games on Saturday at 4:10 pm.
