Tigers no-hitter: Detroit starter Matt Manning, two relievers combine to shut down Blue Jays

Tigers starter Matt Manning worked 6 2/3 hitless innings before the bullpen took over

The Detroit Tigers entered the record books Saturday afternoon with a combined no-hitter in a 2-0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays. 

Starting pitcher Matt Manning got through 6 2/3 hitless innings to start things off before he gave way to right-hander Jason Foley. After getting the final out in the seventh, Foley worked a hitless eighth as well, setting the table for a dramatic ninth inning. Closer Alex Lange took over for the ninth looking to lock down the save and no-hitter and he was tasked with facing the top of the Blue Jays' order in Bo Bichette, Brandon Belt and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 

Lange struck out Bichette to set the tone before a routine fly to center and then a groundout to third base. The final out wasn't an easy play, with third baseman Zach McKinstry ranging to his left and having to make a quick throw, but he made it look easy. And then it was time to celebrate. 

The Tigers managed just three baserunners in the loss, all three walks issued by Manning. 

Manning threw 91 pitches in just his third start after coming off the injured list. He did seem to be tiring, pretty noticeably, in the seventh inning. He went to a 3-0 count on his first hitter, a 3-2 count on the second and then walked Cavan Biggio to end his outing. 

With the Tigers leading only 2-0 and the tying run coming to the plate, Tigers manager A.J. Hinch made the move based upon what he felt his team needed to win the game instead of worrying about individual glory for Manning. 

After the game, Manning said he didn't realize he had a no-hitter going until the seventh inning. 

"Honestly, I swear I had no idea," he said (via Jason Beck).

Manning returned from a broken foot on June 27, throwing 5 2/3 innings in his first outing back and five innings last time. The pitch count wasn't so much the issue as going deeper into the game. In 34 career starts before Saturday, he'd completed the seventh inning just three times and seven innings, exactly, was his career high in one game.

Especially in light of the final result, it was the correct decision by Hinch to turn the game over to his bullpen. Lange grabbed his 13th save of the season while Foley continued a breakout campaign. He now has a 2.09 ERA and 1.01 WHIP with 34 strikeouts in 38 2/3 innings. 

This marks the ninth no-hitter in Tigers history. Previously, the most recent one came on the arm of Spencer Turnbull on May 21, 2021. Before that, Justin Verlander had a pair and then you'd need to go all the way back to 1984, when Jack Morris pulled it off. The Tigers had never before had a combined no-hitter. 

In MLB history, there have now been 320 no-hitters. Before Saturday, the only one so far in 2023 came from Yankees starter Domingo Germán in Oakland on June 28. The most recent combined no-no came in Game 4 of the World Series by the Astros in a game started by Cristian Javier.