Manning, Foley and Lange combine to no-hit Blue Jays
Matt Manning pitched 6 2⁄ 3 innings of no-hit ball, followed by Jason Foley for an inning and a third, before Alex Lange closed out the ninth to give the Tigers a 2-0 no-hit victory over the Toronto Blue Jays at Comerica Park on Saturday.
It was the first combined no-hitter in Detroit Tigers history and the sixth no-hitter for manager AJ Hinch.
Matt Manning (3-1) pitched 6 2⁄ 3 innings beginning in a rain delay. When manager AJ Hinch went out to the mound to remove him, there were scattered boos from the crowd that turned to cheers as Manning made his way back to the dugout. He had thrown 91 pitchers, allowing no hits and three walks, the last batter being Cavan Biggio who drew the third walk with two outs in the seventh inning.
Jason Foley came in to get Whit Merrifield to close out the seventh, then retired the Jays in order in the eighth to preserve the no-no.
Alex Lange came in for the ninth and struck out Bo Bichette on three pitches. Brandon Belt lined out to Jake Marisnick in center field, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. grounded out to third base to seal the victory.
Riley Greene, who was activated before the game as Jonathan Schoop was designated for assignment, singled in his first plate appearance since May, and was driven in by a double off the bat of Spencer Torkelson. Kerry Carpenter smacked an RBI triple to make it 2-0 Tigers before Javier Báez hit into an inning-ending double play. Kevin Gausman (7-5) allowed the two runs in the first inning, taking the loss for Toronto.
Carpenter made a great sliding catch in the fourth inning, in foul territory to catch a pop fly down the right-field line off the bat of Vladimir Guererro.
Báez made a big play in the sixth inning, running deep into left field to catch Bo Bichette’s fly ball.
The start of the game was delayed 1:22 by rain. Hinch said that Manning had trouble feeling the ball in the first inning and had some back stiffness as he made just his third start since coming off the injured list.
Source: Bless You Boys
