Yusmeiro Petit sets MLB record for consecutive batters retired

Yusmeiro Petit set a major league record on Thursday afternoon, retiring his 46th consecutive batter. Again, in the history of Major League Baseball, no one has retired more batters in a row. No one.

Yusmeiro Petit.

I can't fathom ... I'm not prepared ... this is so hilarious and fantastic. He's turning into the Forrest Gump of spot starters, accidentally inventing catch phrases and taking pictures with JFK, mostly by accident. He's also a lot of fun to watch, suddenly. Even though he hovers around 89 or 90 with his fastball, his curveball is turning into quite the weapon.

The best news: Petit reclaimed the record from noted usurper Mark Buehrle, who had previously retired 45 straight batters to steal the record from Giants starter Jim Barr. Petit, a pitcher with great team pride, has returned this hallowed record to its rightful home. HANDS OFF, BUEHRLE.

Petit, if you'll remember, is also one of the 12 pitchers in major league history who has lost a perfect game with two out in the ninth, which is somehow rarer than an actual perfect game. He's appeared in just 113 major league games, and he already has two factlets that would make for an awesome doodle on the back of a Topps card from the '60s.

The last runner that Petit allowed before Thursday came on July 22, when Marlon Byrd doubled against him in the fifth inning. To get the record, Petit had to go through two ex-Giants, Jackson Williams and Charlie Culberson, which scared the absolute bejeepers out of me.

But the Curse of the Ex-Giant wasn't as strong as the Legend of Yusmeiro Petit. This ... this is a strong legend.

(Then the opposing pitcher got a double. Love you, baseball.)

Update: video!