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Ka’ai Tom singled to start the ninth inning for the Pittsburgh Pirates, breaking up a valiant no-hit bid from Colorado Rockies starter German Marquez Tuesday night in an 8-0 victory in Denver.
Marquez nearly added his name to the growing list of no-hitters in 2021, as the veteran right-hander baffled the Pirates for eight innings.
Marquez, 26, struck out five and walked just one across an efficient 92 pitches, in his attempt to author just the second no-hitter ever at Coors Field and the eighth overall this season.
“There were a lot of things going through my mind, you know, I was excited. In my mind, I knew that I just had to calm down and make my pitches,” Marquez said in a postgame interview on MLB Network. “It was just one pitch that I missed, and that’s it.”
As a result, the MLB total sits at seven, one shy of tying the single-season record — set in 1884 — and it’s not yet July. This season, there have been six solo no-hitters, and the Chicago Cubs last week no-hit the Los Angeles Dodgers with a combined effort, including relievers.
Trevor Story had two RBIs, and was one of five Rockies with two or more hits in the victory. Charlie Blackmon was 3-4 with two runs and an RBI in support of Marquez, who improved to 7-6 on the season.
“I felt it. I had a feeling, and I didn’t want to think about it,” Marquez said. “But it is what it is.”
Marquez recovered quickly in the last inning, after Tom’s single, inducing a double play followed by a groundout to end the complete game. He is now 7-6 on the season, with a 3.62 ERA.
“My fastball command was good. When my fastball command is good, everything else comes through very good. My slider was sharp today and my curveball was amazing.”
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