In a vacuum, removing rookie Ross Stripling from a no-hit bid in his Major League debut with just five outs to get, is ludicrous. Well folks, we don’t live in a vacuum.
Back on planet earth, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts couldn’t have been more right when he called the decision a “no-brainer.”
In what appeared to be the opening act in a weekend show that was 24 hours away from the Clayton Kershaw-Madison Bumgarner headliner, Matt Cain and Stripling probably weren’t giving many the warm-fuzzies.
And then, Stripling got a bunch of outs without giving up any hits. Stripling, once a decent prospect for the Dodgers, backed into the No. 5 starter position after just about all other options capable of filling that slot limped their way onto the disabled list.
So, yeah, watching him pitch in San Francisco one week into the 2016 season didn’t exactly alert many that history was on the horizon.
And yet, it was.
In the modern era, no pitcher had ever gone more than five innings without allowing a hit in their debut. Through 77 pitches, Stripling had more than broken the record with six no-hit innings, bringing all eyes from across the country onto him.
Having retired eight in a row, Stripling walked Hunter Pence on five pitches to start the bottom of the seventh. And with that, the first sign of cracks began to show. Have no fear, though, because after a borderline strike call prevented Brandon Belt from walking.
Belt then grounded into a double play to relieve the pressure. After Matt Duffy grounded out to end the inning, Stripling was just six outs away.
CONTINUE READING: Dave Roberts made the correct decision in removing Ross Stripling
