Angels rookie Detmers throws no-hitter vs. Rays

Los Angeles Angels rookie left-hander Reid Detmers pitched a no-hitter in a 12-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium, becoming at age 22 the youngest pitcher to throw one since Anibal Sanchez in 2006 for the Marlins.

It was the majors’ second no-hitter this season. For the Angels, it is the 12th in franchise history.

“Getting the last out was the coolest part,” Detmers said. “It’s just something I’ve dreamed ever since I was a little kid. I didn’t think it would ever happen.”

The closest play to a hit came with one out in the top of the seventh inning when Tampa Bay’s Brett Phillips hit a medium-hard grounder to the right of first baseman Jared Walsh. The ball bounced off Walsh’s glove and then he dropped the ball trying to get the speedy Phillips. With the no-hitter on the line, it was called an error.

“I thought that was pretty clearly an error,” Walsh said. “I expect myself to make that play most of the time, so I would have definitely complained if they called that a hit.”

Asked whether it might have been ruled a hit if the Angels were on the road, Walsh said, “I think most people that are in the major leagues would admit that was an error.”

Otherwise, Detmers hardly had any close calls. He retired his first 15 hitters before Taylor Walls drew a leadoff walk in the sixth.

And unlike some other no-hit bids this season, Detmers’ pitch count was never an issue. He had 64 pitches through six innings, 83 through seven and 94 through eight, as he got through an easy eighth with three routine fly balls.

He had to wait through a long bottom of the eighth inning as the Rays brought in Phillips to pitch and the Angels tacked on four runs — including a two-run home run from Anthony Rendon, who batted left-handed instead of from his usual right side.

In the ninth, Detmers got Vidal Brujan to pop out in foul territory to catcher Chad Wallach, induced Kevin Kiermaier on a soft grounder to second base and Yandy Diaz on a routine grounder to shortstop.

“You guys are awesome!” Detmers told the crowd after the game. “I don’t even know what to say. Thank you for coming out.”

Detmers finished with a career-high 108 pitches, one walk and just two strikeouts, the fewest strikeouts in a no-hitter since Francisco Liriano also fanned two in his no-no in 2011. It was the first no-hitter for the Angels since a combined no-hitter in 2019 from Felix Pena and Taylor Cole in the team’s first home game that season following Tyler Skaggs’ death, and the first individual no-hitter for the club since Jered Weaver in 2012.

Detmers is the youngest Angel to throw a no-hitter and the first lefty since Clyde Wright on July 3, 1970, against Oakland.

The club’s first-round pick (10th overall) in 2020 out of Louisville, Detmers was making just his 11th career start in the majors. He came into the game with a 2-4 career mark and a 6.33 ERA — the third-highest ERA entering a no-hitter since earned runs became an official stat in 1913, according to Elias Sports Bureau research. He was 1-1 with a 5.32 ERA in his first five starts this season.

It was the first time Detmers had gone even seven innings in a major league game. His previous career best was six last season against the Houston Astros. He had never thrown more than 97 pitches in a big league game, either.

“He had a much better mound presence tonight. He just looked and felt the part,” Angels manager Joe Maddon said. “Hopefully we are going to get a lot of residue of that in the future, because he’s capable of that. Maybe not of no-hitters, I’m just saying that’s how he should pitch. That’s what he should look like more often.”

Earlier in the evening, the Astros’ Justin Verlander lost his no-hit bid in the eighth inning, marking just the fourth day since 2000 that there were multiple no-hit bids of at least seven innings.

Five New York Mets pitchers combined for this year’s first no-hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies on April 29.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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