**Sonny Gray Delivers Historic Shutout for Cardinals Against Guardians**
**Meta Description:** Sonny Gray’s remarkable nine-inning shutout leads the Cardinals to a 5-0 victory over the Guardians, marking a rare achievement in MLB history.
**URL Slug:** sonny-gray-shutout-cardinals-guardians
**Sonny Gray Delivers Historic Shutout for Cardinals Against Guardians**
In a stunning display of pitching prowess, St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Sonny Gray achieved one of the most impressive performances of the MLB season during the team’s 5-0 victory over the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on Friday. The 35-year-old Gray completed a “Maddux,” throwing nine innings of shutout baseball while allowing just one hit and striking out 11 batters, all on a mere 89 pitches. This remarkable feat marks the first complete-game shutout under 90 pitches since 2021, a record previously held by New York Yankees ace Max Fried.
Gray, a three-time All-Star, has recorded seven complete games throughout his 13-year career, but this outing was particularly special as it was his first complete game since 2017, when he was with the Yankees. “I did it a lot earlier in my career, and it’s been a while,” Gray reflected after the game. “You don’t know if you would be able to do it, especially the way the games kind of went, and especially with me. Like, I don’t throw over 100 pitches very often.”
Throughout the game, Gray maintained an aggressive approach, never exceeding 12 pitches in any inning and recording two innings with eight or fewer pitches. He was particularly effective, delivering 19 first-pitch strikes to the 28 batters he faced. Impressively, Gray retired 15 of Cleveland’s hitters in three pitches or fewer, including six on the very first pitch.
“I knew the innings were kind of moving right along. I did know that I was perfect through that long. I made a good pitch there when the guy got the hit, so I was fine with that,” Gray noted. “When I was going out for the ninth, it felt like just another inning, which was nice.”
With this victory, the Cardinals improved their record to 45-38 and will aim to build on Gray’s stellar performance in the second game of the three-game series against the Guardians, scheduled for Saturday at 4:10 p.m. ET.
**FAQ**
**What is a “Maddux” in baseball?**
A “Maddux” refers to a complete game shutout thrown on fewer than 100 pitches, named after Hall of Fame pitcher Greg Maddux, who was known for his efficiency on the mound.