Iwakuma came out for the ninth inning with a right-hander and left-hander up in the Mariners’ bullpen.
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Hisashi Iwakuma became the second Japanese-born pitcher in major league history to throw a no-hitter, leading the Seattle Mariners to a 3-0 victory over the Baltimore Orioles Wednesday. That’s not his style.
Not much has gone right for the Seattle Mariners this season, but the great thing about baseball is that something special can happen on any particular day. Iwakuma’s no-no was the first American League no-hitter since teammate Felix Hernandez threw a flawless game against the Tampa Bay Rays on August 15, 2012.
Incredibly, there have been 15 National League no-hitters since Hernandez threw his in 2012, including three this season alone.
The crowd of 25,661 stood and cheered as Iwakuma, at 107 pitches, took the mound in the ninth inning. “I’m truly happy”.
Unfortunately, the Seattle Mariners are hemorrhaging money as they pay out lavish contracts extended over many years. I want to thank all the fans who were here today to root for me.
Third baseman Kyle Seager made an over-the-shoulder catch on David Lough’s foul looper near the seats for the first out in the ninth.
“That’s a testament to Kuma”, said Seager. “As it went along, you realized this could happen”.
The no-hitter was the seventh thrown against the Orioles and the first since Boston’s Clay Buchholz did on September 1, 2007.
Iwakuma has struck out six, and he issued a pair of walks in the fourth inning.
The Japan native was flawless sans the fourth inning, when he worked around walks to Manny Machado and Chris Davis to end the inning. Iwakuma’s pitch count reached 100 in the eighth inning, when he gave up a leadoff walk and had the tying run in the on-deck circle.
Ryan Flaherty then took a third strike before Caleb Joseph grounded into a double play.
“It’s not just a normal loss”, Orioles center fielder Adam Jones acknowledged. You tip your cap. “He mixes his pitches well, he’s got a ton of movement, he’s got deception in his delivery, he got deception in his windup”.
Baltimore right-hander Kevin Gausman (2-4) set a career high with eight strikeouts in seven innings in a losing effort. He’s been solid since returning and there were rumblings around the trade deadline Iwakuma might be moved. He leads the AL in K/BB, and while Yankees Stadium is a hitter’s park, Pineda has just six walks in nine starts on the road, with one complete game. Four teams-the Indians, Marlins, Twins, and aforementioned Mariners-won in their final at-bat.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – J.D. Martinez singled home the go-ahead run in the eighth inning as Detroit came from behind to beat Kansas City.
Iwakuma never had even thrown a complete game in 87 career starts coming in.
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In San Diego, rookie Raisel Iglesias pitched six strong innings and Joey Votto scored the go-ahead run on a balk by James Shields and later homered to lead Cincinnati past the Padres. Ian Kinsler hit a two-run double for the big blow. Monday night was no exception as he blasted a solo shot in the first to get the Orioles offense going against Mariners starter Vidal Nuno.
