PITTSBURGH — Cincinnati Reds starter Hunter Greene and reliever Art Warren combined to allow zero hits in a complete game, but it didn’t count as a no-hitter — or even a win — because the Pittsburgh Pirates eked out a run in the bottom of the eighth inning for a 1-0 win Sunday.
Ke’Bryan Hayes‘ RBI grounder helped the Pirates become the sixth team in big league history since 1901 to win despite not getting any hits. It last happened in 2008, when Jered Weaver and Jose Arredondo of the Angels lost while holding the Dodgers hitless.
By Major League Baseball record-keeping rules, Cincinnati’s accomplishment isn’t an official no-hitter because its pitchers didn’t go at least nine innings. And in a season in which most everything has gone wrong for the Reds, this surely had to be the topper.
Greene (1-6), the Reds’ prized rookie, was pulled after a pair of one-out walks in the eighth. He threw 118 pitches, the most by any pitcher in the majors this year — seven of his heaters reached 100 mph.
Warren relieved and walked Ben Gamel to load the bases. Hayes followed with a grounder to second baseman Alejo Lopez, who bobbled the ball before throwing to shortstop Matt Reynolds for one out. Reynolds’ relay was a fraction late to get the speedy Hayes at first base.
Cincinnati batters went down in order in the ninth, and that was it at PNC Park — no celebration for the Reds, who have the worst record in the majors (9-26).
“I mean, to not even get a hit in a game and to get a win, I’m sure that hasn’t happened a lot since baseball’s been going on,” Hayes said.
Greene took the loss, becoming the first pitcher to throw seven hitless innings and take the loss since Matt Young of the Red Sox against Cleveland in 1992, according to ESPN Stats & Information.
There have been two no-hitters in the majors this season. Angels rookie Reid Detmers pitched one Tuesday against Tampa Bay, and five Mets pitchers combined to hold Philadelphia hitless on April 29.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
