Verlander within two outs of no-hitting Bucs

Associated Press

DETROIT

Two outs were all that separated Justin Verlander from yet another rare achievement — and an exclusive club that includes Cy Young, Nolan Ryan and only three other pitchers.

With the crowd on its feet in anticipation of Verlander’s third no-hitter, the Detroit ace threw a sharp breaking ball, just off the outside corner. Josh Harrison stuck his bat out and flicked a soft line drive agonizingly toward center field.

“That’s why throwing no-hitters is so difficult,” Verlander said. “It doesn’t take a hard one, it just takes the right placement.”

Harrison’s ninth-inning single broke up Verlander’s latest no-hit bid, but the powerful right-hander struck out 12 in a 6-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night. Verlander allowed two walks and settled for his first career one-hitter. He nearly became the sixth major leaguer to throw at least three no-hitters.

Verlander also fell just short of the third no-hitter in the majors already this season. Philip Humber pitched a perfect game for the Chicago White Sox at Seattle on April 21, and Jered Weaver tossed a no-hitter for the Angels against Minnesota on May 2.

“The adrenaline is like nothing else. You don’t really feel anything. My legs were just kind of tingling,” Verlander said. “Everything’s amplified in that situation. You’re like, ‘Man, I don’t want to throw the wrong one.’ But you’ve just got to trust your instincts and go with what you feel.”

Added Harrison: “I was so amped to hit his 100 mph fastball that I didn’t even know where the ball was going. He never threw me a fastball in that at-bat, but I finally got a pitch I could put my bat on.”