Reid Detmers throws first solo no-no of 2022 season
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) – Reid Detmers was called up by the Los Angeles Angels late last season with high expectations. After 10 memorable major league starts, the rookie left-hander surpassed even his own hopes on Tuesday night.
Detmers made the majors ’second no-hitter this season, cruising after he benefited from a borderline error call in the seventh inning as the Angels beat the Tampa Bay Rays 12-0.
The 22-year-old left hander passed a career-high 108 pitches in his 11th major league start, striking two and walking one. He completed the 12th no-hitter in franchise history when Yandy Diaz grounded out shortstop Andrew Velazquez to end the game.
“Getting to the end is the coolest part,” Detmers said. “It’s just something I’ve dreamed of since I was a little kid. I didn’t think it would happen. ”
He got a significant boost from official scorer Mel Franks in the seventh.
Brett Phillips hit one when first baseman Jared Walsh went to his right and broke Phillips ’grounder. Walsh applauded when the video board showed that the game was judged a mistake, and the decision brought one of the biggest cheers of the night from 39,313 fans at Angel Stadium — a large crowd on the day of week due to Shohei Ohtani bobblehead night after he received his AL MVP award before the game.
“I think it was clearly a mistake,” Walsh said. “I expect myself to do that game most of the time, so I’ll really complain if they call that a hit.”
When asked if that could have been hit if the Angels were on the road, Walsh said: “I think most people who are in the big leagues would admit it was a mistake.”
Otherwise, Detmers (2–1) has almost no close call. He retired his first 15 hitters before Taylor Walls drew a lead-off walk in the sixth. Third baseman Anthony Rendon made a nice jump to get Vidal Bruján’s driving line, and Kevin Kiermaier crashed in a double to end the inning.
“I’m just trying to get ahead. There’s a lot more I haven’t told you. I was just trying to get out, ”Detmers said. “When I got two strikes on the last hitter, I shivered a little. But other than that, I try to stay calm. ”
The son of a former minor league pitcher in St. Louis. Louis Cardinals, Detmers was the 10th overall pick in the 2020 draft from the University of Louisville and made his major league debut last year.
He came into the game with a career mark of 2-4 and a 6.33 ERA-the third-highest ERA to have entered a no-hitter since getting runs became official statistics in 1913, according to Elias Sports Bureau. He’s 1-1 with a 5.32 ERA in his first five starts this season.
“He had a better presence on the hill tonight. He just looked and felt the part,” manager Joe Maddon said. “Hopefully we can get a lot left over from that in the future, because he can do that. Maybe not with no-hitters, I’ll just say that’s how he pitches. That’s how he looks more often.
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The Rays simply couldn’t barrel Detmers, who mixed a fastball averaging 92 mph with a looping curveball, a changeup and a slider.
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The Detmers entered the game with his changeup of just 5.1% during this season, but passed a career-high 24 against the Rays.
“I think his offspeed kept us out of balance. He threw very hard and slow, but he did well to get the heaters in,” Walls said.
This is the first time Detmers has won the seventh inning or later since June 7, 2019, for Louisville against East Carolina in an NCAA Super Regional. His former career high in the majors was six innings last season against Houston. He’s never passed more than 97 pitches in a major league game, though.
The Angels ’last no-hitter was on July 12, 2019, when Taylor Cole and Félix Peña teamed up for one against the Seattle Mariners in the team’s first home game following the death of starting pitcher Tyler Skaggs . Detmers is the youngest Angel to throw a no-hitter and the first lefty since Clyde Wright on July 3, 1970 against Oakland.
This is Angel’s first individual no-hitter since Jered Weaver on May 2, 2012, against Minnesota.
Five New York Mets pitchers combined for the first no-hitter of the year against the Philadelphia Phillies on April 29. There was a record of nine no-hitters in the majors last season. The forerunner of a rookie was Tyler Gilbert of Arizona against San Diego on Aug. 14 in his first start.
Mike Trout had his second multi-homer game of the season and drove three for the Angels, who have won six of their last seven.
Trout had two run shots from Corey Kluber (1–2) in the second to extend Los Angeles ’lead to 5-0 and then added two more run homers in the eighth for the 22nd multi-homer game. The trout have nine homers this season, tied for second in the American League.
They also drowned Chad Wallach and Anthony Rendon. Rendon was home to his first major league at-bat as a left-handed hitter in the eighth when Phillips, usually an outfielder, took the mound in the blowout.
Wallach, a journeyman catcher in his 80th career game and second only to the Angels, is behind the plate for the Detmers with regular catchers Max Stassi and Kurt Suzuki on the COVID-19 injured list. He and his father, Tim Wallach, were the first father-son combo per homer for the Angels.
Velazquez added three hits while the Angels had a season-high 18.
Kluber had a bad outing for the Rays. The right-hander went in three innings and allowed eight runs on 11 hits with two strikeouts.
TRAINER ROOM
Rays: OF Manuel Margot is not in the lineup after leaving the game on Monday due to right hamstring tightness.
Angels: INF David Fletcher is currently undergoing surgery to repair the adductor muscles in both legs. The team did not expect him to return until at least after the All-Star break. … C Austin Romine was called in to replace Stassi.
IN THE NEXT
Rays: LHP Shane McClanahan (2–2, 3.06 ERA) tied Chicago’s Dylan Cease for leading the American League in strikeouts with 47.
Angels: RHP Shohei Ohtani (3–2, 3.08 ERA) has won his last three starts and allowed two runs in 18 innings.
