Ryan Ruocco’s voice will forever be part of Yankees’ history.
The YES Network play-by-play announcer was on the call for Domingo Germán’s perfect game in the Yankees’ 11-0 win over the A’s on Wednesday.
Ruocco’s best friend, Justin Shackil, was in the booth on the radio for WFAN.
“For us, in this profession, getting to call moments like that is the pinnacle,” Ruocco said in a phone interview on Thursday.
“A night that of course was unavoidably memorable and special, no matter what, when you document history like that, it just added a layer. It’s forever going to be probably the first thing I think about –– is that I got to call that moment with one of my best friends calling it in the booth next door.”
With regulars Michael Kay and John Sterling out for Wednesday’s matchup in Oakland, Ruocco and Shackil slotted into what would turn out to be a career-call for both of them.
The two have been best friends since they were 19, Ruocco said, and had walked around in San Francisco all day together prior to the historic game.
“We spent three years together at Fordham, at WFUV, working towards and dreaming about nights like last night,” Ruocco said.
It wasn’t until the fifth inning, though, that Ruocco thought Germán’s performance could actually turn into the 24th perfect game in MLB history, fourth for the Yankees franchise.
“I started really feeling it more when Anthony Rizzo made the backhand stop he did for the second out in the fifth,” Ruocco said. “Every perfect game always has its defensive gem. I was like, ‘there’s the gem.’”
At the end of the inning, with superstitions in line, Ruocco texted David Cone –– former Yankee and now a YES color commentator –– who had his own perfect game in 1999.
“I didn’t want to use the word perfect when I texted him so I just asked him, I said ‘Hey, when did you start thinking about it in July of ‘99?’ And he said ‘now.’”
From then on, Ruocco said he started framing the broadcast around Germán instead of focusing on other aspects of the game like the Yankees’ offense, setting up the moment and giving context to his audience.
“The journey he has gone through this year, with how up-and-down the year is, is definitely stuff we try to layer in to set up the moment, especially heading out into the eighth and ninth innings,” Ruocco said.
Germán’s golden game came on the heels of two previous brutal starts from the pitcher.
Germán let up seven runs against the Boston Red Sox, then got booed off the mound for allowing 10 runs (eight earned) against the Mariners in 3 ⅓ innings on June 22 –– making Wednesday’s performance that much more of a headline.
The right-hander turned the narrative, and Ruocco was ready with the call.
On the 99th pitch of the game, Germán secured the 27th out with Esteury Ruiz at the plate, and history was made.
“Grounded to third, [Josh] Donaldson has it, there it is –– perfection for Domingo Germán!” Ruocco called as the Yankees poured onto the field, jumping around their teammate.
“Domingo Germán has thrown the 24th perfect game in baseball history, the fourth perfect game in Yankees history,” Ruocco said. “And you will always remember where you were June 28 of 2023.”
There it was.
The moment Ruocco had not only been waiting for the entire game, but his entire career.
“I grew up a diehard Yankees fan. I know exactly where I was when David Wells threw his perfect game in 1998, I know exactly where I was when David Cone threw his in 1999,” Ruocco said.
“To be associated with Yankees history in that regard, for me, is about as cool as it gets.”
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