For a second time in the last four games, the Los Angeles Dodgers had a starting pitcher complete five perfect innings. Whereas Kenta Maeda was knocked around in the sixth, Rich Hill’s bid for history remained intact heading to the bottom of the ninth.
The Dodgers made multiple impressive defensive plays through eight innings, but Logan Forsythe booted a relatively routine grounder to start the bottom of the ninth. Hill preserved his no-hitter by retiring the next three batters faced.
He returned to the mound in the 10th, becoming the ninth pitcher in baseball history to take a no-hitter into extra-innings, and the first to do so since Pedro Martinez on June 3, 1995.
The game came to an abrupt end as Josh Harrison, who nearly broke up the perfect game with a bunt single earlier in the game, led off with a walk-off home run. Hill became the first pitcher to ever lose a no-hitter on a walk-off homer.
Following the tough-luck loss, Brandon McCarthy, Brock Stewart, Kiké Hernandez and Justin Turner shared their thoughts on Hill’s outing via Twitter:
Fart. Rich is a stud.
— Brandon McCarthy (@BMcCarthy32) August 24, 2017
The love/hate relationship with baseball is incredible. What a job by Richy!!
— Brock Stewart (@Brock_A_Stewart) August 24, 2017
Oh baseball…… 😒😒
Unbelievable job by Ricardo!!
— Enrique Hernández (@kikehndez) August 24, 2017
👍🏼👍🏼 #RichHill that was one hell of a pitched ⚾️ game!!
— Justin Turner (@redturn2) August 24, 2017
Former Dodgers pitchers Brett Anderson and Jose De Leon, and Pirates All-Star Andrew McCutchen also commented on Hill’s performance:
Toughest loss ever
— Brett Anderson (@BAnderson3737) August 24, 2017
Rich Hill! pic.twitter.com/S1YtYIHNL4
— Jose De León (@JDL_87) August 24, 2017
Weird… very weird
— andrew mccutchen (@TheCUTCH22) August 24, 2017
Hill finished with 10 strikeouts, one of tying a season-high, and threw an efficient 99 pitches. The veteran left-hander put the loss squarely on his shoulders, citing the “bad pitch” made to Harrison.
Fact of the matter is, the Dodgers managed eight hits but went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left 11 on base.
