• Find team by: Affiliation | Class | Geography
     
07/06/2008 5:38 PM ET
Broshuis tosses six perfect innings
Right-hander follows up four-hitter with stellar start for Connecticut
By Paige Schector / MLB.com
Garrett Broshuis, a third-year Defenders veteran, has won four of his last five. (Kevin Pataky/MLB.com)

ADVERTISEMENT
• Audio: 18 up, 18 down for Broshuis
• Audio: Fielding error breaks up perfecto
• Box score
• Garrett Broshuis' player page
• Catch Broshuis in action

Garrett Broshuis and the Defenders have kind of been in the same boat of late. They've had OK seasons that could use a little jolt. With six perfect innings, Broshuis gave them both one on Sunday.

Broshuis (8-6) ended up allowing three runs -- one earned -- on two hits without any walks, striking out six over seven frames in Connecticut's 6-5 victory over the host New Britain Rock Cats.

"Coming into June, I thought it was going to be a big month for me," Broshuis said. "I was about .500 coming into it and you let a few games slip and it doesn't look so good. You go the other way and your season is looking pretty good."

In particular, the right-hander said he wanted to work on his concentration. That's paid off ever since. He's won four of his last five games and threw a complete-game four-hitter in his last start.

Broshuis lost his perfect game bid in the seventh when first baseman David Maroul misplayed Dustin Martin's slow roller. The next batter, Brian Dinkelman, singled to center field to break up the no-hitter and Brock Peterson followed with his 25th double of the year to center to plate both runners and end the shutout.

"Going into that situation, you don't really think of the perfect game. You do realize that there hasn't been a baserunner though," Broshuis said.

"The previous couple of innings when I warmed up, I tried to throw out of the stretch a little more," he added. "Sometimes if you have that kind of game going and someone gets on base, that kind of throws you out of your rhythm. I tried preparing for that, but it didn't really work out."

He matched teammate Nate Bump for the single-game season high in strikeouts. Bump set the mark Saturday in a 5-0 shutout of the Rock Cats.

"It was definitely a good game for me personally and a big game for our team," Broshuis said. "We've had a couple tough seasons in Connecticut, and wins were tough to come by. "

The right-hander, currently in his third year with Connecticut (44-44), was the San Francisco Giants' fifth selection in the 2004 First-Year Player Draft. He was drafted out of Missouri, where he was valedictorian and all-state in baseball and basketball in his senior year.

Broshuis considers Double-A to be a bit of a "tar pit," because a lot of good players just can't take the next step.

"You get to this level and you get stuck," he said. "That's what has happened to me. Last year, I didn't have a great season. I threw quite a few good games, but we just couldn't pick up victories. So this year, I said if I put up a few more zeros, the wins will come."

Broshuis' goal for the season is to get to double digits in the win column.

"I'll just keep working hard each time out, trying to lower my ERA a little," he said. "If I get a few more victories, everything will kind of work itself out."

All of the Defenders hitters except Jake Wald, who scored once, picked up at least a hit. After homering twice on Saturday, designated hitter Adam Witter went yard again and plated three runs. Olmo Rosario added a solo blast.

Connecticut relievers Ronnie Ray and Kelvin Pichardo each allowed a run in one inning of work. Pichardo picked up his sixth save.

Anthony Swarzak (3-7) suffered the loss after being tagged for five runs on 12 hits. He didn't walk a batter and struck out one.

Dinkelman had two hits for New Britain (36-51).

Paige Schector is an editor for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.