Brady Singer’s bid at history turned to heartbreak in one pitch.
“I had all the confidence in the world we were going to see it happen,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said.
Singer on Thursday allowed just one hit — a two-out single to Austin Hedges through an infield shift in the eighth inning — as the rookie flirted with a baseball rarity while leading Kansas City to a 11-1 win over the Cleveland Indians.
Photo: AFP
Making just his ninth major league start, the 24-year-old right-hander was four outs from becoming only the 36th rookie to throw a no-hitter when Hedges, who came in batting .148, bounced a single through a wide-open right side.
Kansas City had shifted the infield for the right-handed Hedges and he found the hole left open when second baseman Nicky Lopez moved.
“I honestly kind of blacked out,” Singer said of his reaction. “I saw him get jammed, I saw it kind of get him on the handle. I don’t know who was playing there. I didn’t turn around and see what the shift was, honestly, but it snuck through. That’s how the game works.”
Hedges got the hit on a 150kph full-count fastball on Singer’s 116th pitch and, after Matheny went out to visit him, Singer finished the inning and was warmly greeted by his teammates when he got back to the dugout.
“I felt really good from the start,” Singer said. “It was probably a bad thing, but I kind of noticed there was no hits after the third inning. So it was stressful, but I felt sharp from pitch one and tried to stay focused the whole time.”
Singer (2-4) threw 119 pitches, the second-highest total in the majors this season behind the 122 by St Louis’ Adam Wainwright on Aug. 30.
Matheny said that he was going to let Singer go as long as he needed to finish the no-hitter.
“I just thought that it was going to be a special night,” Matheny said. “I was right, but unfortunately, it was just short of being as special as we wanted. Not many guys get an opportunity like that. That was going to be his no matter what.”
Hedges, who was acquired from San Diego on Aug. 31, said that he went to the plate determined not to let the Indians get blanked.
“I was just trying to have a good at-bat, see some pitches and wait for a mistake, and he gave me one of those,” Hedges said.
Maikel Franco and Adalberto Mondesi each hit three-run homers, while Edward Olivares added a solo shot off Aaron Civale (3-5).
Franco also had a two-run single and drove in five runs.
In Thursday’s other games, the Cubs overcame the Reds 8-5, the Diamondbacks defeated the Dodgers 5-2, the A’s outlasted the Astros 3-1, the Braves beat the Nationals 7-6 and the Red Sox edged the Rays 4-3.
The Angels overcame the Rangers 6-2, the Marlins edged the Phillies 7-6, the Giants crushed the Padres 6-1 and the Tigers tamed the Cardinals 6-3 in the nightcap of a doubleheader after being crushed 12-2 in the opener.
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