Rojas halts San Diego’s bid for first no-hitter, but Richard strong again

MIAMI — The Marlins came dangerously close to ending up on the wrong side of major league history Sunday.

Miguel Rojas’ two-out single in the seventh ended Clayton Richard’s bid to become the first pitcher in San Diego Padres history to throw a no-hitter. The result was a 3-1 loss for the Marlins. But at least they didn’t land in the record books.

The Padres, who have been around since 1969, remain the only active team in the majors that has never had a pitcher — or combination of pitchers — throw a no-hitter. The Marlins, whose first season was 1993, have thrown six by comparison. Giants at Marlins, 7:10, FSN, 1230

Richard (5-6) came tantalizingly close to ending the Padres’ franchise drought. The lefthander took a no-hitter into the seventh before Rojas spoiled his bid with a clean single up the middle.

Until then, Richard swiftly worked his way through the lineup in the quickest home game of the season for the Marlins, taking only 2:24 to complete. The quickest road game: May 30 in San Diego when Richard and Jose Urena went at it in

Marlins

32-year-old Nadal to hold onto the No. 1 ranking, ahead of Federer.

If there were any reason for a bit of intrigue entering Sunday, it was this: Thiem beat Nadal on red clay at Rome in May 2017 and again at Madrid last month. But those are not quite the same as the French Open, where Nadal is 86-2 for his career.

“I am sure you will win here in the next couple of years,” Nadal told Thiem.

Against many other opponents — maybe any other — Thiem would have made things interesting. He pounded huge serves that topped 135 mph — about 25 mph better than Nadal’s fastest — and translated into seven aces but also had five double-faults. He took the biggest of big cuts on groundstrokes, his feet leaving the ground as he threw his whole body into them, as if the very outcome — not of any individual point, but the whole shebang — depended on the strength of that one whip of his white racket. That led to 34 winners (eight more than Nadal) but also 42 unforced errors (18 more than Nadal).

It worked. For a bit. Until 4-all, 15-all in the opening set, to be precise. Nadal held for 5-4, and Thiem basically handed over the next game — and the set — with four mistakes. A volley into the net. A forehand wide. A forehand into the net. A forehand long.

“Terrible misses,” Thiem acknowledged.

SAM NAVARRO / MIAMI HERALD San Diego starting pitcher Clayton Richard came within seven outs of pitching the first no-hitter in team history Sunday in Miami. Richard had held the Marlins to four hits in seven innings May 30.

CLIVE BRUNSKILL / GETTY IMAGES Dominic Thiem of Austria pauses during his 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 loss to Spain’s Rafael Nadal in the French Open championship match.