Jul 5, 2026, 08:30 PM ET

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Miami Marlins skipper Clayton McCullough realized Eury Perez stood just six outs from the club's first perfect game on Sunday afternoon.

Nevertheless, McCullough made the call to remove his starter.

Perez exited after facing 21 consecutive batters without allowing a baserunner, a choice that nearly cost the Marlins when they nearly frittered away an eight-run cushion during their 9-8 triumph over the Athletics.

"I completely understand the situation," McCullough said. "Part of me felt the pull to let him chase history, yet my priority remains Eury's long-term health along with what benefits the club going forward."

In his third outing since coming off the injured list, Perez was pulled following 92 pitches across seven perfect innings.

"Our target entering the day was around 90 pitches, but with postseason hopes in mind, Eury remains vital to our plans," McCullough noted. "He was locked in throughout."

Heriberto Hernandez connected for two homers for the Marlins (49-42), who extended a hot streak by winning nine of their past 12 contests and completing a sweep. Leo Jimenez and Otto Lopez also homered in the contest.

Fans voiced their displeasure when McCullough summoned Lake Bachar to start the eighth inning.

Bachar immediately walked Lawrence Butler, ending the perfect game and no-hit bids. Joshua Kuroda-Grauer followed with the first hit, a shallow single to right.

Carlos Cortes added an RBI double, Max Muncy drew a walk and Jonah Heim crushed a grand slam to cut the deficit to 8-5.

Brian Serven singled to end Bachar's outing after the reliever failed to record an out. Michael Petersen navigated the rest of the eighth, and Miami added a run in the ninth that proved decisive when Pete Fairbanks allowed three runs in the bottom half.

Perez later backed his manager's decision despite the disappointment.

"It stings in the moment," Perez said. "But the staff follows a set plan around 90 pitches. I feel great about our group and the way we communicate."

The 23-year-old right-hander, who has yet to complete a full game in the majors, fanned eight batters. He became the youngest pitcher to carry a perfect game into the eighth since Pedro Martinez in 1994.

"As a baseball fan myself, I recognize the significance," McCullough added.

The 92 pitches marked Perez's highest total since returning June 24. He had missed time since late May with a right leg issue that occurred during stretching in the dugout.

Initially projected to miss two months, Perez left a May 27 start in Toronto after four scoreless innings when his right hamstring tightened during warm-up lunges. The discomfort required help descending stairs.

The 6-foot-8 Perez faced the Athletics for the first time since his 2023 debut season. He generated seven groundouts and six flyouts, improving to 5-6 with a 3.84 ERA across 15 starts.

"He mixed his full repertoire effectively," McCullough said. "This is the Eury we have seen developing."

Twenty-four perfect games have occurred in major league history, with Domingo German tossing the latest for the Yankees against Oakland in 2023.

The Marlins have never recorded one in their 33 seasons.

Perez became the first pitcher removed after seven or more perfect innings since Clayton Kershaw in 2022.

Featuring a fastball reaching 98-99 mph, Perez ranked among top prospects before debuting at age 20 in 2023.

He missed 2024 recovering from Tommy John surgery and rejoined the rotation in June 2025. He entered Sunday with a 16-18 record and 3.85 ERA in 53 big-league starts.

Information from ESPN Research and The Associated Press was used in this report.