Joe Musgrove said he has never wanted anything more than to help his hometown team win a championship.
On the way, he stopped to make history.
With a story book start to his time with the team for which he grew up cheering, the Grossmont High School alumnus will go down in the history books as the first pitcher in Padres history to throw a no-hitter.
The streak of 8,205 games played of 52 seasons plus a week is no more.
Musgrove on Friday night at Globe Life Park threw the first no-hitter by a Padres pitcher, in the franchise’s 8,206th game.
He retired the first 11 batters he faced, hit Joey Gallo on the leg and then retired the next 16 batters as the Padres beat the Texas Rangers 3-0 in front of 27,575 at Globe Life Field. (Box score)
The 28-year-old right-hander grew up first chasing batting practice homers at Qualcomm Stadium and then cheering from his family’s season seats beyond right field at Petco Park. He paid special attention when Jake Peavy was pitching. He now wears Peavy’s number.
Peavy won the National League Cy Young award in 2007, one of three won by a Padres pitcher. Musgrove will live in Padres lore alone for now.
Musgrove struck out 10, went to three balls against just three batters and had just four outs made by Padres outfielders. Ha-seong Kim’s backhand play in the hole at shortstop in the fourth inning was as close as the Rangers got to a hit.
Musgrove allowed three hits in six scoreless innings in his Padres debut Saturday and has now thrown 31 consecutive scoreless innings dating to Sept. 15 when he was with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Left-hander Tim Hill was warming up in the bullpen during the seventh but sat down as Musgrove’s 90th pitch sailed past Nate Lowe for the final out of the inning. Musgrove then sat on the dugout bench, only Ha-seong Kim anywhere near him.
It was the seventh time Musgrove threw seven scoreless innings in 85 career starts, but he had recorded outs in the eighth inning of a game just three times, and had never gone more than eight innings or thrown more than 108 pitches.
As he began the eighth, Emilio Pagán and Mark Melancon warmed.
Musgrove got through the eighth inning with two groundouts and a line drive directly at to Wil Myers in right field, on his 103rd pitch.
That was just the sixth ball hit hard off Musgrove all night.
Musgrove this time was alone on the bench as the Padres batted in the top of the ninth. He sipped a bottled water as he sat with his right arm wrapped in a towel.
Kim drew a two-out walk to prolong the suspense.
Melancon got back up to throw at a somewhat leisurely pace as Victor Caratini batted. Kim was caught in a rundown after a pick-off.
Motley Crue’s “Kickstart My Heart” blared over Globe Life’s speakers as Musgrove threw his warmup pitches.
Five times before, a Padres no-hitter had disappeared in the ninth inning.
Pinch-hitter David Dahl lined a 1-1 curveball to Jake Cronenworth at second base. Leody Taveras topped a ball in front of the mound, and Musgrove tagged him out.
By now the crowd was cheering for Rangers strikes.
Isaiah Kiner-Falefa hit a ball to Kim, who threw it across the diamond.
As Padres all around the turf threw hats in the air, catcher Victor Caratini leaped into Musgrove’s arms and the entire team congregated jumping and hugging on the mound.
https://ift.tt/3wKOop1
Sports
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "NO-HITTER! Padres' Joe Musgrove throws first in team history - The San Diego Union-Tribune"
Post a Comment