Gonzalez hurls eight no-hit innings in Nationals win
MIAMI: Washington Nationals pitcher Gio Gonzalez hurled eight no-hit inning Monday before finally surrendering a base hit to Miami in a 1-0 Major League Baseball victory over the Marlins.
The 31-year-old US left-hander who grew up in Miami was three outs from the first no-hitter of his career before the Marlins’ Dee Gordon slapped a single to centerfield on a 1-ball, 1-strike breaking pitcher to lead off the ninth inning for the hosts.
Gonzalez was attempting to finish the second no-hitter in Major League Baseball this season after Marlins righthander Edinson Volquez hurled one on June 3 against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Gonzalez, who improved to 95, was removed after Gordon’s single. He walked three batters and hit another while striking out five over 106 pitches.
Nationals relief pitcher Sean Doolittle took the mound for Gonzalez and earned his seventh save of the season, the fourth since the Nationals acquired him from the Oakland Athletics.
After Giancarlo Stanton grounded into a double play, Christian Yelich singled and Marcell Ozuna popped out to end the game, the Nationals settling for a two-hit shutout.
National League East division leader Washington improved to 63-41 with second-place Miami, 49-55, falling 14 games behind the Nationals.
Washington scored the game’s only run in the sixth inning. Brian Goodwin, who played at nearby Miami Dade College, doubled off the wall in center, took third on Wilmer Difo’s sacrifice bunt and scored when Bryce Harper singled to left field. – AFP