Jim Bunning got one on Father’s Day, 1964. Now, Dallas Braden gets one on Mother’s Day, 2010. Yes, Mr. Braden, with a career record of 17-23 and 0 complete games before today, was perfect. Braden was perfect on the very mound he stood when Alex Rodriguez crossed his territory and created controversy a few short weeks ago.

It’s bittersweet for Braden, however, who lost his mom, Jodie Atwood, to skin cancer when he was a high school senior. Braden did have his grandmother, Peggy Lindsey, cheering him on… and speaking her mind. Her thoughts on Braden’s perfection? “Stick it, A-Rod.” Simply remarkable.

After being chastised by the A’s lefty for walking over the pitcher’s mound in mid-April, Rodriguez said, “I’d never quite heard that. Especially from a guy that has a handful of wins in his career … I thought it was pretty funny actually.”

Dallas Braden may still be in the teens in terms of career wins, but at least he can say that, if only for a day, he was perfect. After all, putting “perfect” and “Alex Rodriguez” in the same sentence is laughable.