I hustled off a baseball field last night to get home and watch the rubber match between the Red Sox and Rays. When I turned on NESN the Sox were tied up 0-0 in the fifth and Nick Pivetta and Michael Wacha were spinning duel no-hitters. DAMN, I love great pitching and was ripped I had missed the first four. Christian Vazquez came to the plate with two outs in the fifth and ended Wacha’s dream with an excuse me bloop to left.
An inning and two-thirds later Pivetta was still dealing and low and beheld Alex Cora was walking to the hill. Had to be for a chit-chat. Right? Right? No. Cora wanted the ball. Pivetta had hit the 100 pitch mark. Three family members had to calm me down. I couldn’t fathom pulling this man. But Pivetta handed the ball over without argument, tipped his hat to the throng of Red Sox fans at the Trop, and went to the dugout.
Alex Cora just broke up the first No-Hitter of his career. They better win this game.#RedSox pic.twitter.com/VzGKxXCmW5 — Obnoxious Boston Fan (@realOBF) June 25, 2021
“I did not want to come out, but it’s not about me,” Pivetta said. “It’s about the game. It’s about winning baseball games. That’s what’s most important.”
Yeah okay, whatever you say, Nick.
No one on this planet preaches team first more than the scribe that sits before you here today, but 100 pitches? That’s where this analytics-driven game has gone? That at 100 you’re done. Even in the midst of a No-No after striking out eight and walking just two. Thanks, son, hit the showers?
#RedSox Manager Alex Cora Said It Wasn’t A Tough Decision To Pull Nick Pivetta During No-Hit Bid https://t.co/asCVdMcIkf — WBZ Boston Sports (@wbzsports) June 25, 2021
Red Sox come first, Murph…
Cora went to the pen and at first, it worked. Josh Taylor kept his scoreless innings streak (22) rolling, Ottavino came in and bailed out Darwinzon Hernandez who gave up a single (buh-bye, no, no) and a BB in the eighth. And then Matt Barnes and Vazquez blew it in the ninth. You were there. you saw it. 1-0 Rays
Manuel Margot of the Tampa Bay Rays slides home for the win against the Boston #RedSox in the 9th inning on a wild pitch from Matt Barnes at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. The #Rays eked out the 1-0 victory despite managing only 2 hits in the game. 📷: Julio Aguilar pic.twitter.com/ASysdEewKT — Getty Images Sport (@GettySport) June 25, 2021
Now you may be thinking Murph it is a team game and Pivetta would have needed another 30-40-45 pitches to get through this. The sox are fighting for first. My argument is why at 100? Why is this the magic number? Pivetta deserved the shot. This doesn’t happen for a pitcher every day. Nick was dealing and I wanted to see it play out.
As always you can follow/give me grief for this on Twitter @Tmurph207