Despite being frustrated and shocked, even the helpless hitters on the Orix Buffaloes could smile near the end of their ballgame in Chiba, realizing they had been part of something special.

The source of their frustration was Roki Sasaki, the 20-year-old ace of the Chiba Lotte Marines, who pitched only the 16th perfect game in Nippon Professional Baseball history.

The youngest to achieve the feat, Sasaki also tied an NPB record with 19 strikeouts in Chiba’s 6-0 victory over the defending Pacific League champs.

“I feel on top of the world,” the right-hander said after the game at Zozo Marine Stadium in Chiba.

‘BEATEN COMPLETELY’

Much had been expected of Sasaki since he threw a 163 kph pitch when he was a senior at Ofunato High School in Iwate Prefecture in spring 2019.

After two rather uneventful seasons, Sasaki early in his third pro year showed a mastery that left a two-time PL batting champion nearly speechless.

Orix designated hitter Masataka Yoshida struck out only 26 times last season, the fewest in NPB with a certain number of plate appearances, and just once this season.

Sasaki fanned Yoshida three times on April 10.

“I got beaten completely,” Yoshida said. “There was no point of contact.”

Yoshida said he tried to adjust for each at-bat, but it was in vain because Sasaki “pitched with such good control.”

Other Buffaloes echoed that sentiment.

Kotaro Kurebayashi, a Buffaloes’ infielder who is also 20 and entered NPB at the same time as Sasaki, led off the sixth inning by flying out to centerfield.

It was considered an achievement because it ended Sasaki’s run of consecutive strikeouts at 13, breaking the NPB record of nine set 64 years ago.

“I swung the bat before (Sasaki) even threw the ball,” Kurebayashi said. “I just couldn’t get any control.”

Centerfielder Shuhei Fukuda, who hit fifth in the Buffaloes’ lineup, also expressed shock over his helplessness at the plate, particularly against Sasaki’s fastball and forkball.

“This is probably the first time in my life that I struck out three times in three consecutive at-bats,” Fukuda said.

But he added, “I had a heck of a good time playing against such an incredible pitcher.”

Buffaloes’ manager Satoshi Nakajima took the defeat gracefully, too.

“I think it was really something,” Nakajima, a former catcher, said about Sasaki’s performance.

Sasaki’s fastballs continued to top 160 kph into the late innings, including the eighth, when he retired all three hitters swinging.

Sasaki’s pitch count in the two-and-a-half-hour game was 105.

NO APPEARANCES IN FIRST YEAR

Sasaki’s heat in high school not only made him the target of pro scouts, but his 163-kph fastball also broke the record of another baseball legend in Iwate Prefecture.

Shohei Ohtani, whose pitch was clocked at 160 kph when he was at Hanamaki Higashi High School, held the previous record in the prefecture.

Four professional teams selected Sasaki as their draft pick in autumn 2019. He joined the Marines.

Sasaki spent his first year with the Marines on “physical preparation,” and made no appearance that season, which is rare for a top draft pick.

Some people criticized Sasaki as “being sheltered” and the team for “not doing a good job on player development,” said Akitaka Nishiyama, a long-time Marines fan.

“But you see? It worked out well after all, and he is now blossoming,” Nishiyama said excitingly.

Sasaki made his pro debut in 2021, his second year. He had three wins and two losses for the season.

Now, early in the 2022 season, he threw the first perfect game in NPB since Hiromi Makihara of the Yomiuri Giants did so on May 18, 1994.

After getting the 27th out, on strikes, Sasaki roared and smacked his glove with his right hand.

“To be honest, I wasn’t that conscious about the (perfect game),” he said after the game. “I was thinking that if I allow a hit, that’s OK.”

He complimented Ko Matsukawa, an 18-year-old rookie catcher fresh out of high school, for a “great lead.”

“I just trusted Matsukawa and kept pitching until the last moment,” Sasaki said.

FAN FAVORITE

Nishiyama, 48, who has been a Marines fan for 28 years, runs an izakaya pub in Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture, where Marines fans frequent.

He often arranges his business hours around game time. He opened his doors at 2 p.m. for the afternoon start of the April 10 game.

Nishiyama and five regular customers watched excitedly at the TV as Sasaki piled up K after K.

“I just witnessed one hell of a game,” the owner said.

After the game was over, fans at the stadium came to Nishiyama’s pub for some celebratory drinks. The 20-seat restaurant soon became full.

Sasaki “will spread his wings around the world,” Nishiyama said, alluding to speculation that the young pitcher will join the major leagues. “I look forward to his future performances.”

During a post-game news conference, Sasaki said about the accomplishment, “It still feels unreal, but I was glad to have so many players congratulate me.”

He said: “I didn’t specifically try to get strikeouts. I think I was able to pitch by trusting Matsukawa and my teammates.”

He said that when the fans increased the decibel level of their cheers in the final stretch of the game, he felt their expectations.

“But I didn’t think too much of it,” he said.

The Marines’ manager, Tadahito Iguchi, said he knew Sasaki would throw a perfect game, but he did not expect it so soon.

Asked about the manager’s prediction, Sasaki said: “I never even relished the thought of accomplishing (a perfect game). I will do my best to make good pitches in the next game.”