No that's not a typo, Matt Young (0-1, 2.25 ERA) threw a no-hitter in Game 1 of today's doubleheader against the Cleveland Indians.....and lost. Young held the Indians hitless for 8 innings but walked SEVEN, allowed SIX stolen bases (4 to Kenny Lofton) and 2 runs. How did the Indians win? Charles Nagy tossed 7 innings, allowed just 1 run and struck out ten batters. Young was game but the walks and stolen bases just happened to be enough for the Indians to take Game 1 2-1 at Cleveland Stadium.
Nagy got the ball in the top of the first inning and Wade Boggs led off with a grounder to second to begin. Jody Reed grounded out to third but Mike Greenwell walked. Ellis Burks struck out swinging to end the inning. The Indians struck first in the bottom of the first as Kenny Lofton walked to start. Lofton stole second then took third when Glenallen Hill struck out swinging. Carlos Baerga hit a routine grounder to short but Luis Rivera bounced the throw to Mo Vaughn at first for an error to score Lofton. Albert Belle popped up to right and Phil Plantier made a great running catch to rob Mark Whiten of a double to end the inning with the Indians up 1-0.
Phil Plantier led off the top of the second by striking out swinging before Jack Clark took strike three. Mo Vaughn walked but Luis Rivera struck out swinging to end the inning. Paul Sorrento grounded out to first to start the bottom of the second and Brook Jacoby hit a bullet...right to Vaughn. Junior Ortiz grounded out to short to end the inning.
John Flaherty made his MLB debut in the top of the third by doubling down the third base line. Boggs moved Flaherty to third with a grounder to second but Reed took a full count curveball on the outside corner for strike three. Greenwell went down hacking to end the inning.
The Indians struck again in the bottom of the third as Mark Lewis walked to start. Lofton walked and Hill hit a perfect double play ball to Rivera. Rivera flipped to second to get Lofton but Reed threw wide of first and Hill was safe to put runners at the corners. Hill swiped second and Baerga hit a roller to short that Rivera couldn't make a play on, scoring Lewis. Belle struck out swinging and Whiten grounded out to second to end the inning with the Indians up 2-0.
The Sox got one back in the top of the fourth as Burks beat out a little roller to short to start. Plantier went down hacking but Burks stole second. Clark grounded out to third but Vaughn walked. Rivera hit a routine pop up to second BUT BAERGA DROPPED IT! Burks scored to cut the lead but Flaherty lined out to second to end the inning with Boston down 2-1.
Young cruised in the bottom of the fourth as Sorrento grounded out to second to start. Jacoby lined out to a running Burks and Ortiz grounded out to third to end the inning.
The Sox blew a chance to tie the game in the top of the fifth as Boggs grounded out to short to start. Reed dropped a base hit to left but Greenwell popped up to left. Burks singled under the glove of Jacoby but Plantier flied out to left to end the inning. Lewis struck out swinging to start the bottom of the fifth but Lofton walked for the third time. Lofton stole second and then stole third on the swinging strikeout by Hill. Baerga grounded out to short to end the inning.
The Sox blew their biggest rally in the top of the sixth as Clark struck out swinging to start. Vaughn singled off the glove of Baerga and Rivera blooped a single to shallow right. Flaherty hit a bullet...right to Jacoby but Boggs singled off the mound to load the bases. With a chance to tie the game or better....Reed grounded into a force at third to end the inning.
Young got Belle to ground out to short to start the bottom of the sixth but Whiten walked. Whiten got picked off and Sorrento struck out swinging to end the inning.
Yerrr Out!
The Sox did nothing against Nagy in the top of the seventh as Greenwell struck out swinging to start. Burks walked but Plantier struck out swinging. Burks was thrown out trying to steal to end the inning. Boggs made a great play to rob Jacoby of a hit to start the bottom of the seventh but Ortiz walked. Ortiz swiped second but Lewis walked. Lofton beat out a double play ball to put runners at the corners but Hill grounded out to third to end the inning. Somehow Young had not allowed a hit through seven innings.
Brad Arnsberg came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Clark walked to start. Herm Winningham pinch ran for Clark but Vaughn took strike three. Rivera grounded into a double play to end the inning. Young returned for the bottom of the eighth and Baerga grounded out to third to start. Belle also grounded out to third and Whiten struck out swinging to end the inning. Young had thrown 8 no-hit innings but still somehow was trailing in the game.
Derek Lilliquist came in to close out the top of the ninth with Scott Cooper scheduled to pinch hit. Sox manager Butch Hobson called back Cooper and sent Tom Brunansky in to pinch hit instead. Bruno walked to start and Boggs singled in the hole at second. Brunansky failed to advance to third on a fly ball to the left field warning track by Reed but Greenwell banged into a double play to end the game anyway. Somehow Matt Young threw an unofficial no-hitter and still lost 2-1 to the Indians.
Jackass of the Night is Phil Plantier. He was 0 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts and left 3 crucial men on base.
The Good:
Wade Boggs was 2 for 5.
Ellis Burks was 2 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Mo Vaughn was 1 for 2 with 2 walks.
Luis Rivera was 2 for 4 with an rbi.
John Flaherty was 1 for 3 in his ML Debut.
Tom Brunansky walked as a pinch hitter.
One of the rare times the losing pitcher ends up on the Good list but Matt Young tossed a complete game, allowing no-hits and 2 runs. Nine times out of ten this should be good enough.
The Bad:
None.
The Ugly:
Jody Reed was just 1 for 5 with a strikeout.
Mike Greenwell was 0 for 4 with two strikeouts but walked.
Jack Clark was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts but walked.
Honorable Mention:
Herm Winningham pinch ran for Clark.
Scott Cooper "pinch hit" in the top of the ninth
Final Thoughts:
Talk about inventing new ways to lose. The Sox literally held the Indians to zero hits and still lost. Most of it is on Young for walking the ballpark and allowing a hundred stolen bases but the Sox had their chances to drive in runs all game, choking each and every one of them. Plantier failing with 2 men on and Reed with the bases loaded. The Sox offense let Young down big time but allowing 2 runs without allowing a hit is on Young. The worst part is this was only Game 1 of a doubleheader, there's another 9 innings to play and lord help if the Sox offense remains asleep in that one. The Sox have no time to dwell on this loss because they still have Game 2 to play. Roger Clemens (0-1) looks to right the ship against Scott Scudder of the Indians in about 20 minutes at Cleveland Stadium.
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