Estrada loses perfect game bid in 8th inning before Blue Jays sink Rays in extras
Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Marco Estrada carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning Friday night at Rogers Centre before a bloop single from Jimmy Paredes of the Baltimore Orioles spoiled his chance at history.
The 31-year-old came remarkably close to making history Wednesday afternoon, too.
Estrada hurled 7 1/3 perfect innings in Wednesday's series finale against the Tampa Bay Rays before Logan Forsythe spoiled his flawless outing with an infield single that Josh Donaldson nearly made a play on.
"It was a little frustrating, just because it wasn't hit very hard," Estrada told reporters.
Moments earlier, incidentally, Donaldson helped preserve Estrada's bid for perfection with one of the finest defensive plays of the season, leaping into the stands to corral a foul popup off the bat of David DeJesus.
(Courtesy: MLB.com)
"Marco still had that no-hitter, and I was just trying to do anything I could to help him get outs at the time," Donaldson said.
Estrada, who established a new season-high with 10 strikeouts, is also the first Blue Jays pitcher to record a no-hitter through seven innings in consecutive starts since Dave Stieb. In 1988, Stieb famously lost no-hitters in successive outings with two outs in the ninth inning, his efforts foiled by Julio Franco of the Cleveland Indians and Jim Traber of the Orioles, respectively.
The intensity at Tropicana Field didn't abate, however, after Estrada lost his perfect game (and no-hitter). After Estrada was removed with two outs in the ninth inning, the game still deadlocked at 0-0, a battle of bullpens ensued, with both teams staging rallies that, despite some tense moments, didn't translate to any runs.
That is, until Chris Colabello stepped to the plate in the top of the 12th inning.
"If I had to give you a percentage, I was like 62 percent sure," Collabello told reporters when asked if he was sure the ball would go for a home run.
The 31-year-old's sixth homer of the campaign, a solo shot, afforded Toronto a slim lead before Steve Delabar, in his first opportunity as de facto closer, secured a 1-0 victory with his first save of the season.