ASTROS 3, DODGERS 0
HOUSTON -- Mike Fiers has pitched the second no-hitter in the major leagues in nine days, leading the Houston Astros to a 3-0 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night.
Fiers (6-9) struck out Justin Turner on his 134th pitch to end it and threw his glove high into the air for his first career complete game and the fifth no-hitter in the big leagues this season. Seattle's Hisashi Iwakuma tossed a no-no on Aug 12.
Astros executive Nolan Ryan, who threw a record seven no-hitters, applauded from a suite as Fiers was mobbed by his teammates near the mound after finishing the 11th gem in Astros history.
"Oh man, this crowd was going insane," Fiers said. "It got me pumped up. I felt great."
Cole Hamels with Philadelphia, San Francisco's Chris Heston and Washington's Max Scherzer also have thrown no-hitters this season.
Acquired by the Astros at the trade deadline to help with their playoff push, Fiers was stellar in his first two starts for Houston. This was something else, though.
Having never even gotten an out in the ninth inning in his five-year career, Fiers was dominant. He struck out 10 and walked 3, retiring the final 21 batters.
Fiers (1-0) needed little help from his defense until Jake Marisnick had to sprint to catch a long flyball by Jimmy Rollins just in front of the bullpen in right field for the first out of the ninth inning.
Fiers crouched in relief then pointed out to his teammate.
The closest the Dodgers came to breaking it up was in the sixth inning when Turner's towering shot to left with two outs hooked foul.
The 30-year-old right-hander allowed a walk in each of the first three innings, but didn't allow a baserunner after walking Joc Pederson to start the third.
"My command was off a little early, I just tried to stick with it, I knew it was going to come," Fiers said. "This game is all about playing for your teammates, guys on the field with you."
After that, he repeatedly had the NL West-leading Dodgers fooled with a nasty curveball and changeup to complement a fastball in the low 90s.
It was the first no-hitter by one Astros pitcher since Darryl Kile blanked the Mets on Sept. 8, 1993.
Jake Marisnick gave the Astros a 2-0 lead in the second with a two-run homer off the left center façade. Evan Gattis hit a solo home run to left in the sixth.
Brett Anderson (7-8) allowed 3 runs on 7 hits with 5 strikeouts in 6 innings.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
CUBS 5, BRAVES 3 Kris Bryant and Miguel Montero had consecutive RBI doubles in the sixth as host Chicago extended Shelby Miller's winless skid to 17 games with a victory over Atlanta. Jason Motte (8-1) earned the win in relief, starting a string of four innings during which Cubs relievers didn't allow a hit until pinch-hitter Nick Swisher doubled with one out in the ninth off closer Hector Rondon.
PHILLIES 7, MARLINS 1 Jerad Eickhoff pitched six scoreless innings and drove in two runs in his major league debut to help visiting Philadelphia to a victory over Miami. Ryan Howard had three doubles and drove in two runs and Odubel Herrera had two hits and scored twice for the Phillies. Eickhoff (1-0) allowed 5 hits and walked 1 while striking out 5.
DIAMONDBACKS 6, REDS 3 Rubby De La Rosa allowed two runs in seven innings and A.J. Pollock homered while enjoying his second consecutive four-hit game to help Arizona send host Cincinnati to its seventh consecutive loss. Pollock scored three runs and Yasmany Tomas added his own solo shot for the Diamondbacks.
GIANTS 6, PIRATES 4 Madison Bumgarner homered in his second consecutive start and struck out six in 6 1/3 innings to lift visiting San Francisco to a victory over Pittsburgh. Bumgarner (15-6) allowed 2 runs on 5 hits, walking 1 while winning his fourth consecutive decision. Santiago Castilla worked the ninth for his 30th save.
METS 14, ROCKIES 9 Yoenis Cespedes hit three home runs, including a grand slam, and had a career-high seven RBIs and New York overpowered host Colorado. Travis d'Arnaud and Michael Conforto also had home runs in the seventh inning in the Mets' first five-home-run game since Sept. 5, 2014, against Cincinnati.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
RED SOX 7, ROYALS 2 Johnny Cueto had his worst start since coming to Kansas City just before the trading deadline, and host Boston beat the AL Central-leading Royals to send them to their second consecutive loss. Cueto (2-2) had allowed just six runs in four previous starts for the Royals. He allowed 6 earned runs and 13 hits on Friday, striking out 3 before leaving after 6 innings. The Royals also committed two errors, leading to another run.
RANGERS 2, TIGERS 0 Colby Lewis pitched seven strong innings to help visiting Texas beat Detroit. Lewis (14-5) allowed six hits and a walk, but the Rangers defense turned three double plays and threw out another runner at the plate. Shawn Tolleson pitched the ninth for his 24th save, despite allowing Miguel Cabrera's third double of the game.
TWINS 4, ORIOLES 3 Kurt Suzuki hit a two-run single in the eighth inning to cap a comeback against All-Star reliever Darren O'Day and carry Minnesota past host Baltimore. Casey Fien (3-5) worked 1 2/3 innings, Trevor May pitched the eighth and Kevin Jepsen struck out the side for his sixth save, the first since coming to Minnesota from Tampa Bay in a July 31 trade.
INDIANS 7, YANKEES 3 Carlos Carrasco struck out 11, Carlos Santana homered and visiting Cleveland stopped New York once again, beating the AL East leaders. Carrasco (12-9) outpitched Masahiro Tanaka (9-6), giving up 1 run and 5 hits in 6 2/3 innings. Carrasco has permitted just six runs in his last five starts.
Sports on 08/22/2015