Twins' Kenta Maeda falls one inning short in bid for MLB's first no-hitter of 2020
Minnesota Twins right-hander Kenta Maeda threw a career-high 115 pitches, but allowed a leadoff single in the ninth inning in his bid for the first no-hitter of the abbreviated 2020 MLB season.
After Maeda allowed the hit, the Twins bullpen couldn't hold the lead and the Brewers tied the game to force extra innings. The Twins finally pulled the game out in the 12th inning for a 4-3 win.
Maeda blanked the Milwaukee Brewers for eight innings in Minneapolis until Eric Sogard hit a bloop single over the glove of Twins shortstop Jorge Polanco. Over the first eight innings, Maeda allowed only two batters to reach base -- Christian Yelich on a walk in the first inning and Omar Navarez on a walk in the eighth.
Earlier in the game, Maeda broke a franchise record with eight consecutive strikeouts. Jim Merritt (1966) and Francisco Liriano (2010) had previously fanned seven in a row. The American League record is nine, set by Detroit's Doug Fister in 2012 and tied earlier this season by Tigers reliever Tyler Alexander.
Maeda had 12 strikeouts in the game and now sports a 2.27 ERA.
Maeda is in his first season with Minnesota, which acquired him this winter from the Los Angeles Dodgers for pitching prospect Brusdar Graterol. He posted a 47-35 career record and 3.87 ERA with the Dodgers.