The Detroit Tigers nearly threw a combined no-hitter amid the pressure of a postseason push.
Four pitchers — Beau Brieske, Brant Hurter, Brenan Hanifee and Tyler Holton — allowed just one hit in Friday’s 1-0 win over the Baltimore Orioles at Comerica Park. The quartet faced 29 batters across nine innings, two above the minimum.
Catcher Dillon Dingler worked behind the plate in the 21st game of his MLB career.
The no-hitter was broken up by Gunnar Henderson with two outs in the ninth inning. He ripped a triple off Holton’s first-pitch sweeper down the first-base line. Five pitches later, Holton ended the game with a swinging strikeout.
Brieske, a right-hander, faced four batters as an opener. Hurter, a left-hander, faced 18 batters as a bulk reliever. Hanifee, a righty, faced three batters as a traditional reliever and Holton, a lefty, faced four batters as a traditional reliever.
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The Tigers (76-72) — in the hunt for the third and final spot in the American League wild-card race — had a perfect game intact until Hurter walked Adley Rutschman on eight pitches to open the eighth inning. After that, Hanifee took over and retired the next three batters to keep the no-hitter intact, and preserve the one-run lead.
Hanifee struck out Colton Cowser swinging — winning a nine-pitch battle — to complete the eighth.
In the ninth inning, Holton matched up with Emmanuel Rivera, pinch-hitter Coby Mayo and Henderson. Rivera flew out to right field on a fourth-pitch cutter, then Mayo struck out looking on a ninth-pitch cutter. After that, Henderson ripped the triple to put the tying run at third base.
But Holton struck out Anthony Santander to end the game.
Hurter, a 26-year-old in his eighth MLB appearance, took down 5⅔ innings of the combined one-hitter, sandwiched between the first 1⅓ innings from Brieske and the final two innings from Hanifee and Holton. He registered eight strikeouts — four swinging, four looking — while throwing 53 of 71 pitches for strikes.
Hurter, who had a 5.80 ERA at Triple-A Toledo, delivered first-pitch strikes to 17 of 18 batters, including first-pitch strikes to each of his first 14 batters.
He dominated the Orioles with his sinker and sweeper.
Hurter owns a 2.56 ERA in 38⅔ innings in his MLB career.
