July 28, 1991/1994

It's a perfect day in the nineties for two pitchers.

1991: Dennis Martinez, a 36-year-old right-hander who was once thought finished because of a sore shoulder and the stigma of alcoholism, pitches the first perfect game in Montreal Expos history. He retires all 27 Dodgers he faces in Los Angeles to win, 2-0, and when Marquis Grissom catches the final out, Martinez is engulfed in the arms of his teammates. He can't stop crying.

"It was like I was dreaming," says the native of Nicaragua. "It was like it was somebody else there instead of me."

1994: Three years later to the day, it's Kenny Rogers' turn to be perfect. The Texas Ranger is only the third left-hander in history to throw a perfect game. (Sandy Koufax and Tom Browning are the others.)

Rogers needs a marvelous catch from center-fielder Rusty Greer to preserve his gem in Arlington, Tex. California's Rex Hudler leads off the ninth inning by hitting an 0-2 fastball into the gap in right-center. Hudler is certain it's going to be a hit. But Greer gets a great jump, dives and catches the ball.

"When that happened, I thought, 'I guess somebody wants me to have it,'" Rogers says.

When Rogers strikes out Bo Jackson and retires Gary DiSarcina - appropriately on a fly to Greer - he has his perfect game.