Triston McKenzie came within four outs of a perfect game and the visiting Cleveland Indians defeated the Detroit Tigers 11-0 on Sunday.
Harold Castro's line drive single on a 2-1 offering ended McKenzie bid's for history. Castro was the only baserunner against McKenzie (2-5), who was removed after the inning. He finished with a career high 11 strikeouts.
Emmanuel Clase recorded the last three outs.
The Indians scored all of their runs in the second and third innings. Jose Ramirez drove in three runs, including a two-run homer, and Amed Rosario hit a three-run triple. Austin Hedges had two hits, two runs scored and two RBIs.
Making his first major league appearance since 2018, Detroit starter Drew Hutchison surrendered six runs in 1 2/3 innings. Only two of the runs were earned but he allowed five hits and three walks.
Miguel Cabrera went 0-for-3 and remained stuck at 499 career homers.
Cleveland grabbed a 6-0 lead in the second. Bradley Zimmer led off with a double and moved to third on Oscar Mercado's single. An error by catcher Grayson Greiner on Owen Miller's fielder's choice grounder allowed Zimmer to score and Mercado to reach second.
After a walk loaded the bases, Hedges ripped a double to right to knock in two runs. Myles Straw walked before Andres Gimenez scored when Rosario bounced into a double play. Ramirez capped the big inning with his two-run homer.
The Indians scored five more runs in the third.
Miller and Hedges had singles off Ian Krol, sandwiching a Jonathan Schoop error, as Cleveland loaded the bases. Straw's single brought in one run and Rosario's triple down the left-field line cleared the bases. Ramirez knocked in Rosario with a double.
McKenzie struck out Willi Castro and Victor Reyes in the sixth to keep the suspense going. He whiffed Jacob Robson, Schoop and Cabrera in the seventh.
Jeimer Candelario came close to a hit in the eighth but his liner landed foul. He then fouled out to the catcher. Renato Nunez bounced out to McKenzie before Castro's single. Willi Castro struck out to end the inning.
--Field Level Media
Cleveland | Detroit | |
Triston McKenzie | Player | Drew Hutchison |
Win | W/L | Loss |
8.0 | IP | 1.2 |
11 | Strikeouts | 1 |
1 | Hits | 5 |
0.00 | ERA | 10.80 |
Cleveland | Detroit | |
Myles Straw | Player | Harold Castro |
2 | Hits | 1 |
1 | RBI | 0 |
0 | HR | 0 |
2 | TB | 1 |
.500 | Avg | .333 |