San Francisco Giants pitcher Blake Snell, left, celebrates with teammate Patrick Bailey (14) after throwing a no-hitter in nine complete innings of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)
CINCINNATI (AP) — Blake Snell was one out away from pitching the first no-hit game in his illustrious career and had to get power-hitting Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz one more time.
Cruz jumped on Snell’s first pitch, a 97.8 mph fastball in the middle of the zone, ripping it hard to the gap in right-center field. Giants right fielder Mike Yastrzemski — inserted for defensive purposes in the eighth inning — ran it down, leaping to make the catch and preserve Snell’s gem and 3-0 win.
The 31-year-old lefty, the league’s reigning Cy Young Award winner, was mobbed his teammates. It was third no-hitter in the majors this season.
“You’re so amped up in the last inning there, to be able to make that throw when you are trying to throw it as hard as you can to the plate,” Snell said.
“I’m still kind of in shock,” he said. “I need to go home and let it sink in. I haven’t really processed the game.”
Snell (1-3) struck out 10 and threw 114 pitches, 78 of them strikes. He said he came into the ninth inning throwing strikes because he feared Giants manager Bob Melvin would remove him at 120 pitches. He wanted the complete game, something he’d never done in 202 major league starts.
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