Dodgers starter Hyun-jin Ryu took a no-hitter into the eighth inning on Sunday (LAD 6, WAS 0), before Washington Nationals outfielder Gerardo Parra hit a ground-rule double to left-center field off Ryu's 105th pitch of the game. Prior to Parra's double, there was only one Nationals baserunner, Brian Dozier, who walked with one out in the fourth inning.
Ryu, who has been incredible for the Dodgers so far this season, finished the night with a one-hitter over eight innings (nine strikeouts on a career-high 116 pitches) and now has turned in 24 consecutive scoreless innings. Ryu is 5-1 with a 1.72 ERA and has 54 strikeouts with just three walks.
Pitchers to have three outings in a row of 8+ IP, no more than 1 run and 4 baserunners allowed, since the dead ball era:
- Hyun-Jin Ryu (LAD), 2019
- Clayton Kershaw (LAD), 2016
- Clayton Kershaw (LAD), 2015
- Cliff Lee (CLE), 2008
- Sandy Koufax (LAD), 1963
— Andrew Simon (@AndrewSimonMLB) May 12, 2019
You can't have a (near) no-hitter without a strong defense as right fielder Cody Bellinger proved with this play.
It appeared that opposing starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg had enough to get to first base on a hit to right field, but Bellinger charged the ball and fielded it on one bounce, getting the throw in time for the second out of the sixth inning. First-base umpire Gerry Davis made the out call and the decision stood after a replay challenge.
In Ryu's last start on Tuesday, he recorded a Maddux (a complete-game shutout in fewer than 100 pitches), as he required only 93 pitches in the 9-0 win over the Atlanta Braves. Ryu has an outrageous 22.50 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and his 0.81 WHIP ranks second-best in the National League.
With Sunday's win, the Dodgers spilt the four-game series with the Nationals, which included two shutouts. L.A. holds a four-game lead atop the NL West, and it faces the San Diego Padres for a two-game series beginning Tuesday. The games can be streamed regionally via fuboTV (Try for free).
