05/19/26 12:01:00
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05/18 23:59 CDT Athletics pitcher J.T. Ginn loses no-hitter in 9th inning, then
loses 2-1 to the Angels
Athletics pitcher J.T. Ginn loses no-hitter in 9th inning, then loses 2-1 to
the Angels
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) --- Athletics starter J.T. Ginn took a no-hitter and a
one-run lead into the ninth inning Monday night.
Six pitches later, he walked off the mound with a heartbreaking loss.
Adam Frazier lined a leadoff single in the bottom of the ninth and Zach Neto
followed with a two-run homer that gave the Los Angeles Angels a 2-1 victory,
snapping a six-game skid while stunning Ginn and the A's.
"Obviously, a tough game," Ginn said. "Just keep your head up and keep moving
forward. It's just the nature of the game that we play. I attack the zone and I
live with that."
Frazier lined an 0-2 pitch over shortstop for a clean single, giving Los
Angeles just its third baserunner. Neto then drove a 2-0 sinker to center field
for his eighth home run of the season.
"Just a crazy game to play," Ginn said. "I fell behind 2-0, threw a good
sinker, and he was waiting on it and put a good swing on it. So, tip your cap
to him."
Ginn (2-2) was trying for the first no-hitter in the majors since Shota Imanaga
combined with two Chicago Cubs relievers for a 12-0 win over Pittsburgh on
Sept. 4, 2024. The previous pitcher to throw a complete-game no-hitter was
Blake Snell for the San Francisco Giants against Cincinnati on Aug. 2, 2024.
Ginn threw a career-high 105 pitches, 64 for strikes. He struck out 10, walked
one and hit Neto with a pitch in the sixth.
The right-hander from Mississippi, who turns 27 on Wednesday, struck out the
side in the seventh and finished the inning with his 10th strikeout --- setting
a career high.
"J.T. dominated all night. For him to walk off the mound with a loss there, it
hurts, obviously," Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said. "He pitched probably the
best game he's pitched in his big league career, and to have an opportunity to
get a no-hitter, and two hits later you walk off with a loss, it's tough. I had
full confidence in him going out there in that inning at 100 pitches and trying
to get it done. It just didn't work out."
Pinch-hitter Lawrence Butler put the A's ahead 1-0 with an RBI single in the
top of the ninth. Angels reliever Chase Silseth got slugger Nick Kurtz to
ground into an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded.
It was the 30th career start for Ginn, who made his major league debut in
August 2024.
"He did such a phenomenal job all night keeping guys off balance. His stuff was
nasty. Just kind of rolling, you know, and then it's gut-wrenching stuff in the
ninth for it to end that way. It definitely sucks right now," Athletics catcher
Shea Langeliers said. "Baseball will humble you in all sorts of ways. ... It's
going to be hard to flush this one."
The Angels haven't been no-hit since Sept. 11, 1999 --- the longest active
streak in the majors.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
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