The Detroit Tigers were one out away from history. Then Gunnar Henderson happened.
The Baltimore Orioles star saved his team from a no-hitter on Friday with a first-pitch triple in the ninth inning. He was 90 feet from tying the game, but Tigers reliever Tyler Holton struck out Anthony Santander to finish the game as a 1-0 win.
The no-hitter would have been the 10th in Tigers franchise history and the second combined one. The Tigers aren’t alone in coming just short, as Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Bowden Francis has taken a no-no into the ninth twice in the past two months, only to lose both on a leadoff homer.
Beau Brieske began the task as an opener, getting the first four Orioles batters out before A.J. Hinch called in rookie Brant Hurter for bulk work. Hurter proceeded to throw five perfect innings before faltering in the eighth with a leadoff walk of Adley Rutschman.
That was all it took for Hunch to pull Hurter, who was at 71 pitches, for Brenan Hanifee, who finished the innings without further damage. Hurter’s final line was 5 2/3 innings pitched, no hits, one walk and a career-high eight strikeouts.
Not bad for a former seventh-round pick making his eighth appearance in the majors.
The ninth inning belonged to Holton, who put down Emmanuel Rivera and pinch-hitter Coby Mayo before Henderson walked to the plate. The Detroit crowd was ready to see history, and it got another MVP-caliber feet from the shortstop instead.