Last Night in Baseball: The umps spoil another no-hit bid

There is always baseball happening — almost too much baseball for one person to handle themselves.

That’s why we’re here to help, though, by sifting through the previous days’ games, and figuring out what you missed, but shouldn’t have. Here are all the best moments from last night in Major League Baseball:

Kris Bubic shines back home in California, but loses a no-hitter 

For the second time this season, a pitcher lost a no-hit bid due to an official scoring change. The first time, it happened to the starter with the best ERA in the majors (Yankees ace Max Fried). This time, it happened to the starter with the fourth-best ERA, southpaw Kris Bubic, who plays for the team with the third-longest no-hitter drought in baseball (Kansas City Royals).

And once again, the ump’s decision to undo the original call was, uh, questionable. 

The 27-year-old Bubic, who grew up in the Bay Area, was pitching on the road against the San Francisco Giants and had a no-hitter going with two outs in the sixth inning. Then Wilmer Flores came to the plate and hit a grounder toward the second base side of the infield. Michael Massey scampered over to make the play and slipped, which allowed the ball to sneak into the outfield.

It was initially ruled an error on Massey but then changed to a hit, even though Flores is 33 years old and has six stolen bases in his entire career. There’s no way he was beating that out if it had been fielded cleanly. 

Like with Fried, maybe it wouldn’t have mattered because Bubic eventually allowed a no-doubt hit the following inning. And the Royals went on to win 3-1, with Bubic earning his fifth win of the season (one shy of his career high). 

But come on! 

Just call them the Ma-RALLY-lins (actually, please don’t)

The Chicago Cubs were looking to stretch their hot streak into the new week. After going 6-1 and sweeping the crosstown rival White Sox, they traveled to Miami for their second series against the Marlins in as many weeks. 

Heading into the ninth inning, the Cubs had a 7-6 lead. They had rallied two different times on Monday night, despite Pete Crow-Armstrong and Kyle Tucker combining to go 0-for-9 at the top of the lineup. Matt Shaw, who was just called up again, went 2-for-4 and had the go-ahead RBI in the sixth inning.

But the final rally came in the ninth inning courtesy of the home team, who have built a reputation for comeback wins. Their latest gave them six this year, pulling them into a tie with the Giants for the most in MLB this season.

Jesús Sánchez delivered the game-winner and became the first player in 12 years with a lead-off home run and walk-off RBI in the same game.

RIP (?) pigeon

Right now, the longest winning streak in MLB belongs to the Cincinnati Reds, who’ve reeled off five in a row. It seemed like their Monday night started with a bad omen, though, after an unnamed player accidentally hit a pigeon with a line drive during batting practice. The pigeon was, uh, not in good shape. 

Whether alive or not, the pigeon did not put a curse on the Reds. They poured it on late to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-1, led by three-hit nights from Austin Hays and TJ Friedl and a two-RBI game from Elly De La Cruz. 

The Reds might have even had a little “win one for the Gipper” energy.

Either that, or the pigeon is biding its time to exact revenge.

Tags don’t come closer than this one

Once you see this tag of Logan O’Hoppe by first baseman Nick Kurtz, you’ll understand what we mean.

At full speed, it genuinely doesn’t look like Kurtz got the glove on any part of O’Hoppe. Upon replay, though, you can see that the glove ever-so-slightly grazed the backstop’s jersey as he ran to first, and that counts. After a review, the call of safe was overturned, and the A’s were able to log the out.

It didn’t end up mattering in the end for either side, in that the Angels still won the game 4-3, but still. That was some serious effort by both the shortstop Jason Wilson on the spin and throw to first, and then for Kurtz to somehow make that tag happen by getting his glove on a few fibers of jersey was an appropriate finish. 

Ope!

The Twins have been on fire lately, winners of 13 of their last 14 games. But one way to put out a fire? Water. The rain came down at Target Field on Monday night, delaying the Twins-Guardians game with two outs in the bottom of the second inning. 

That pause in action came right after Carson McCusker launched one into the outfield. And by “one” we mean his bat, not a baseball.

If that had been a ball, it would’ve been the first hit for McCusker, who made his MLB debut the day before. If you ask us, though, it should count!

Following another rain delay after the third inning, the game was suspended before McCusker had another at-bat — and before any of the “dawgs” in the bullpen got a chance to pitch.

At least we got to hear Louis Varland demonstrate his excellent bark and share his motto: “When in doubt, just bark it out.” Words to live by. 

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