Hours after Max Scherzer lost his no-hit try on a bouncer that got away, Justin Verlander’s bid for a perfect game got broken up by a bunt.
Only five pitchers in major league history have thrown three or more no-hitters. Scherzer and Verlander both got within range of joining them Wednesday.
Verlander shut down Seattle until speedy Jarrod Dyson beat out a drag bunt for a single with one out in the sixth inning. The ball got past Verlander, and the Detroit ace glanced at Dyson as he streaked past first base. The Tigers led 4-0 at the time.
“I was just trying to get something going,” Dyson said after the Mariners rallied for a 7-5 victory. “The guy was having a perfect game on us. I’m not just going to keep going up there hacking at him. I know how our matchups have been in the past. He always wins the battle, so I had to just try to play my game and I was able to get down a good bunt.”
Verlander faltered after that and was pulled with a 4-3 lead. He gave up four hits and struck out 11 while throwing 110 pitches in 5 2/3 innings.
The right-hander had no problem with Dyson bunting to break up the gem.
“It was a perfect bunt,” Verlander said. “That’s part of his game. I don’t think it was quite too late, given the situation, to bunt, especially being as how that’s a major part of what he does. I really didn’t have any issues with it. It wasn’t like I got upset about it.”
Scherzer held Miami without a hit until A.J. Ellis got an infield single with one out in the eighth inning. The comebacker glanced off Scherzer’s glove, and Washington wound up losing 2-1.
“I thought I had caught it,” Scherzer said. “When I looked at the glove, it was empty.”
Nolan Ryan threw a record seven no-hitters and Sandy Koufax had four. Bob Feller, Cy Young and 1880s pitcher Larry Corcoran each pitched three.
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