Red Sox SP Sonny Gray Lost No-hit Bid in the 8th Inning
By TERRY LYONS, Editor-in-Chief
BOSTON – On July 9, 1969, there was this ten-year old kid from New York who watched reserve outfielder Jimmy Qualls of the Chicago Cubs break-up a Tom Seaver potential perfect game with one out, opposite field blooper fly ball that landed on the Shea Stadium turf in the top of the ninth inning as New York Mets left-fielder Cleon Jones had no play on the ball. It fell in.
A couple years later, the 4th of July in 1972, and it was Seaver on the mound, once again, for the Mets. One out, top of the ninth and San Diego Padres scrub Leron Lee single up the middle to break up the no-hitter.
Can a life-long baseball man, now a reporter, get a break? Can the guy see a no hitter in person?
Fifty-five years later, Boston Red Sox starter Sonny Gray was cruising along, having just struck-out his ninth batter of the game as the New York Yankees batted in the top of the eighth inning at Fenway Park. Not a single soul of the 34,573 bipartisan crowd had left the building as the tension mounted.
One out, and it was batter-up for Yankees designated hitter Amed Rosario who nervously stepped to the plate.
Guess what?
Base hit to left field and Gray’s no-hit bid was lost, just as Seaver had lost his. It was an inning earlier for Gray’s effort, as he went 7.1 innings, allowed just the one hit, no runs, one walk in the fifth inning (to spoil the potential perfect game), and nine punch-outs as he tossed 97 pitches with 64 strikes.
Of course, as the spell was broken and the obvious mental let-down set-in for Gray, his teammates and the hometown crowd provided a heartfelt standing ovation which accompanied Gray to the Sox dugout as reliever Tyron Guerrero took the ball from Boston manager Chad Tracy. Guerrero did the job by allowing a ground ball force out of Rosario at second base, then a fly ball – can of corn – to Sox centerfielder Ceddanne Rafaela.
Boston went down in order in the bottom of the eighth and then the ridiculousness began.
Fenway’s outfield lights ‘a flashing saw Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman take the mound with a 2-0 lead. It was just a formality, as the Yankees were three outs away from a four game sweep by the last place Red Sox and showing no life whatsoever.
Nope, not so fast.
Yankees’ shortstop Jose Caballero, the No. 9 hitter in the order, singled to left, then stole second base.
Anthony Volpe, who had entered the game in the sixth inning when teammate Jazz Chisholm was ejected for arguing balls and strikes, walked – a sign of Chapman struggling at best – choking at worst.
New York first baseman Ben Rice flew out to right and the bottom fell out when Sox right fielder Wilyer Abreu missed everyone and the cut-off man as each runner tagged to advance. The throw went astray and rolled all the way to the home plate backstop, allowing both Caballero and Volpe to score. Tie game, 2-2.
Could the Red Sox pull it off with a bottom of the ninth victory?
Although Willson Contreras singled to start the home ninth, newly activated designated hitter Romy Gonzalez grounded into a double play – 6-4-3 – to quash any hope of that ninth inning celebration.
The game went into extra innings, and the phantom runners came out.
Justin Slaten took the mound for Boston, and the game went from really bad to really worse for Boston. Slaten gave up a base hit to Rosario which eluded the glove of Abreu – a player truly having the worst game of the season for a Sox defender. The phantom runner (reserve Max Scheman) scored to put the Yankees ahead and that fact placed the pressure squarely on the Red Sox. A sacrifice bunt by NY’s Oswaldo Cabrera moved Rosario to third base, then a fielder’s choice grounder scored Rosario from third and the Sox trailed by two runs, 4-2.
Gray’s no hitter was not only squandered but the Yankees suddenly were in position to win the game. There was the home half-inning to be played.
Bottom of the tenth, trailing by two, Caleb Durbin took second base as his place with the phantom, extra innings MLB rule.
Crazy time in reverse was about to play out.
It went down like this:
o A base hit by Anthony Siegler scored Durbin.
o A double by pinch hitter Masataka Yoshida moved pinch-runner Andruw Monasterio to third, as men on 2nd and 3rd set the scene.
o A sacrifice fly by No. 9 hitter Tsung-Che Cheng scored Monasterio (tie game) and advanced Yoshida to third base.
Outfielder Jarren Duran stepped up to the plate, having entered the game as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning (when he struck out).
The Yankees adjusted their defense to bring five infielders in to cut down any attempt Yoshida might have to score. But, Duran belted a line drive to right field which landed clearly on the outfield turf. Yoshida scored easily and Duran was mobbed by his teammates as he rounded first base with the walk-off RBI.
The Red Sox won, 5-4.
Boston earned its four-game sweep of the Yankees, won their fifth game of the last six they played and the seventh of 10 games since June 19. Only a couple botched games at Colorado on June 22 and 24 are the blemishes on a team that is still in the American league East cellar, but showing signs of life and potential, especially as the Sox starting pitchers continue to throw quality starts. (It was Gray’s sixth straight quality start and Boston’s 11th straight game with a quality game by a starter).
Sonny Gray did not get his no-hitter.
Justin Slaten earned the victory, his first of the season vs. four losses. He grabbed victory in place of the bitter defeat.
Yankees reliever Fernando Cruz took the loss, his third.
Jarren Duran took a postgame Gatorade bath from his celebratory teammates.
Aroldis Chapman blew the save but did get his 1,363rd career strikeout, tying Hoyt Wilhelm for the most K’s in relief in Major League Baseball history. Chapman will need to work on his game, as blowing saves seems to be a trend.
And, a writer who recalled a pair of Tom Seaver lost no hit bids, and saw another big league no-hitter go down the drain.
Nope … no hitters … no triple plays.
Time has been marching by. It’s now time for another 55 years worth.
Maybe not.