Tigers near no-hitter vs Orioles/ Orioles break up no-hitter/ Tigers combined no-hit attempt/ Newslooks/ DETROIT/ Gunnar Henderson’s two-out triple in the ninth inning broke up Detroit’s combined no-hit bid, but the Tigers held on for a 1-0 victory over the Baltimore Orioles. Kerry Carpenter’s first-inning home run off Zach Eflin provided the game’s only run. Detroit’s pitching quartet, led by Beau Brieske and Brant Hurter, kept Baltimore hitless until Henderson’s late hit, preserving the Tigers’ shutout and bringing them closer to the AL wild card race.
Tigers Nearly Complete No-Hitter: Quick Looks
- No-Hit Bid: The Tigers took a combined no-hitter into the ninth inning, broken by Gunnar Henderson’s two-out triple.
- Pitching Excellence: Beau Brieske and Brant Hurter led a stellar performance for Detroit, combining to shut down Baltimore’s offense.
- Carpenter’s Homer: Kerry Carpenter’s solo home run in the first inning off Zach Eflin provided the game’s only run.
- Tight AL Race: Detroit moves within 2.5 games of the final AL wild card spot, while Baltimore falls further behind the Yankees in the AL East.
Orioles’ Henderson Breaks Up No-Hit Bid in 9th, Tigers Hold On for 1-0 Win
Deep Look
Detroit’s pitching staff came tantalizingly close to a combined no-hitter on Friday night, but Gunnar Henderson’s two-out triple in the ninth inning dashed those hopes. Despite the near miss, the Tigers held on for a 1-0 victory over the Baltimore Orioles, fueled by Kerry Carpenter’s first-inning home run and stellar pitching.
The game began with Kerry Carpenter launching a solo homer on the third pitch of the night from Orioles starter Zach Eflin (10-9), giving Detroit a quick lead. That lone run would be enough, thanks to the dominance of the Tigers’ pitching staff.
Beau Brieske opened the game, retiring all four batters he faced while throwing 11 of 16 pitches for strikes. After Brieske’s brief outing, rookie left-hander Brant Hurter (5-1) took over and dazzled, striking out eight Orioles across 5 2/3 innings. Hurter was remarkably efficient, throwing 53 of his 71 pitches for strikes and starting 17 of the 18 batters he faced with a strike.
Baltimore struggled to get anything going offensively. Hurter’s funky arm angle and relentless strikes left the Orioles unable to make solid contact. “Give that left-hander a lot of credit — he’s got a funky arm angle and he was pumping strikes,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “We had a tough time staying on him.”
Hurter was replaced by Brenan Hanifee after Adley Rutschman worked an eight-pitch walk to lead off the eighth inning. Hanifee retired the next three batters, setting the stage for Tyler Holton to try to complete the combined no-hitter in the ninth.
Holton quickly retired Emmanuel Rivera and pinch-hitter Coby Mayo before Henderson, with two outs, hit the first pitch he saw—a 103.2 mph grounder—just past the glove of diving first baseman Spencer Torkelson and into the right-field corner. The hit broke up the no-hitter and brought the go-ahead run to the plate in Anthony Santander. Despite the pressure, Holton struck out Santander to notch his eighth save and secure the victory.
Holton remained unfazed after losing the no-hitter. “I didn’t even realize it was happening, honestly,” he said. “I just wanted to get us the win.”
Orioles manager Hyde credited Detroit’s pitching but lamented his team’s inability to capitalize on any opportunities. “We just didn’t score,” he said simply.
Tigers in Playoff Hunt:
With the win, Detroit (76-72) moved within 2.5 games of Minnesota for the final AL wild card spot. Meanwhile, Baltimore (83-65) fell three games behind the AL East-leading New York Yankees.
Next Up:
The teams will continue their three-game series on Saturday, with Baltimore’s Corbin Burnes (13-8, 3.18 ERA) taking the mound against another Tigers opener.
