MLB notebook: Scherzer notches second no-hitter
Max Scherzer pitched his second no-hitter this season for Washington, striking out a team-record 17 and leading the Nationals over the NL East champion New York Mets 2-0 Saturday night for a doubleheader sweep.
Only one batter reached base against Scherzer, and that came when third baseman Yunel Escobar bounced a throw for an error on Kevin Plawecki’s leadoff grounder in the sixth inning.
The all-star righty became just the sixth pitcher to throw two no-hitters in a season, and the first since Roy Halladay in 2010 — the former Phillies ace had one in the regular season and another in the playoffs.
“These things are special,” Scherzer said. “To do it twice in one season, my gosh, it doesn’t seem possible.” RANGERS STUMBLE: After their biggest rally this season, the Los Angeles Angels are going into the final day of the regular season with a chance to reach the playoffs.
“It’s almost surreal to come back in that situation,” said Johnny Giavotello, whose tiebreaking RBI single capped a five-run ninth inning for the Angels in an 11-10 victory over the playoff-bound Texas Rangers in Arlington on Saturday. “We never lost faith.” Erick Aybar and Kole Calhoun started the ninth with consecutive homers off Shawn Tolleson, the Rangers closer appearing in his fifth consecutive game. The Angels then strung together four consecutive two-out singles off Ross Ohlendorf (3-1).
“It’s probably the craziest game I’ve been a part of, with everything we’ve got on the line,” Mike Trout said.
The Angels, who won the AL West last season, entered Saturday one game behind Houston for the AL’s second wild card.
A loss by Houston at Arizona on Saturday night would give Texas its first AL West title since 2011 and would drop the Astros into a tie with the Angels for the wild card going into Sunday, the last scheduled day of the regular season.
“That is a great comeback. You’re not going to get that many hits strung out in the ninth against back-end-ofthe-bullpen guys, but we did it,” manager Mike Scioscia said. TWINS DONE: The Minnesota Twins, meanwhile, were eliminated from the AL wild-card race Saturday, getting stifled by Yordano Ventura for seven innings in a 5-1 loss to the Kansas City Royals.