Cleveland Guardians rookie Parker Messick came tantalizingly close to baseball history Thursday night, taking a no-hit bid into the final inning before Baltimore’s Leody Taveras broke it up with a leadoff single that sparked a two-run ninth-inning surge. Despite the late drama, Cleveland managed to secure a 4-2 win over the visiting Orioles.
The left-handed Messick, now 3-0 in his 11th big league outing, dominated Baltimore hitters through eight innings, allowing just two walks – one to Taylor Ward in the opening frame and another to Taveras in the sixth. He matched his personal best with nine strikeouts while issuing two free passes.
The magic ended when Taveras sent a ground ball to the left side of second baseman Juan Brito, who made a diving attempt but couldn’t contain the ball in the infield. Blaze Alexander then delivered another base hit, ending Messick’s night after eight-plus stellar innings. Reliever Cade Smith surrendered two hits and allowed both inherited runners to cross the plate, though he still earned his fourth save of the season.
Cleveland’s offense was powered by Jose Ramirez’s two-run blast, while George Valera and Steven Kwan each contributed RBI knocks. The victory ended a two-game losing streak for the Guardians in the series opener.
In other Thursday action, Detroit extended their hot streak to six consecutive wins with a thrilling 10-9 comeback victory over Kansas City. Colt Keith delivered the decisive blow with a ninth-inning single that completed a three-run rally after Riley Greene’s clutch two-out, two-RBI double had evened the score.
San Francisco snapped their four-game slide with a 3-0 shutout of Cincinnati, as Landen Roupp took a no-hit effort into the sixth before P.J. Higgins managed the Reds’ lone safety. Jung Hoo Lee paced the Giants’ attack with three hits and an RBI.
Mike Trout continued his torrid series at Yankee Stadium, launching his fourth consecutive homer to help Los Angeles cruise past New York 11-4. Trout’s five home runs in the four-game set made him just the fourth player in history to accomplish that feat against the Yankees.
Washington edged Pittsburgh 8-7 in extra innings on James Wood’s go-ahead RBI single in the tenth, while Milwaukee used small-ball tactics to defeat Toronto 2-1, scoring the winning run on Joey Ortiz’s sacrifice bunt.
Tampa Bay maintained their six-game winning streak with a 5-3 victory over Chicago, rallying after Junior Caminero’s game-tying solo shot with two bases-loaded walks in the ninth. Texas completed their series split with Oakland by scoring four runs in the final frame for a 9-6 triumph, highlighted by Joc Pederson’s go-ahead single.
