Hall of Fame pitcher Randy Johnson hurls a perfect game against the Atlanta Braves at 40 years of age, adding to his astounding array of achievements
On May 18, 2004, Randy Johnson threw a perfect game, taking down 27 straight batters en route to the to pitching the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 2–0 victory over the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field. At 40 years old, he became the oldest pitcher in MLB history to achieve the feat.
The masterpiece added yet another towering chapter to the legendary career of Randy Johnson, whose blazing fastball and devastating slider overwhelmed Atlanta hitters all night long. Johnson struck out 13 batters in the historic outing, carving through a Braves lineup that featured dangerous hitters such as Chipper Jones and Andruw Jones.
The final out came when Braves catcher Eddie Pérez grounded out to shortstop Alex Cintrón, sending Johnson’s teammates pouring from the dugout in celebration. It was the 17th perfect game in Major League Baseball history and further cemented Johnson’s place among the sport’s all-time great pitchers. Already a four-time Cy Young Award winner at the time, “The Big Unit” proved that even at age 40, overpowering dominance could still define an era.
