Orioles right-hander David Hess squared off against the Blue Jays on Monday night in Toronto, and the 25-year-old pitched a gem in his 20th big-league start:
As you'll note, Hess exited the game after getting one out in the seventh with a no-hitter intact. Hess was at 82 pitches (50 strikes), and while that's not a particularly high count it was Hess' first start of the 2019 season. No doubt, first-year Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde didn't want to take any chances. Some relevant moving pictures:
🚂 All aboard the @hess_express28! What an outing. 🤩 pic.twitter.com/5LSRMn1KP9
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) April 2, 2019
When Hyde made the trip to the mound after Brandon Drury lined out to short, the Rogers Centre crowd of 10,640 (😁) rained down some boos, but Hess took it with a smile and seemed to be fine with the decision. Shortly thereafter, Baltimore reliever Pedro Araujo allowed a walk followed by a home run to Randal Grichuk. With that, no-hitter and shutout were gone.
After the game, Hyde explained why Hess was pulled from the game:
#Orioles manager Brandon Hyde and starter @hess_express28 explain the decision to take out Hess with a no-hitter intact. pic.twitter.com/oFWntPVGGA
— Orioles on MASN (@masnOrioles) April 2, 2019
Had Hess and the bullpen finished the job, then it would've been the first Oriole no-no since Bob Milacki and three relievers combined for one against the Athletics on July 13, 1991.
