SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Alex Cobb came within one out of a no-hitter before Spencer Steer doubled with two outs in the ninth inning of the San Francisco Giants' 6-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night.
Cobb came oh so close to the majors' fifth no-hitter this year, dazzling to shut down Cincinnati before Steer's double provided the Reds' only run.
Fans cheered the 35-year-old right-hander after the hit with chants of "Alex Cobb!" After the final out, Cobb hugged teammates and coaches and acknowledged the crowd.
Center fielder Austin Slater had made the defensive play of the game when he chased down a shallow fly ball by Will Benson with a diving catch in left-center to end the eighth — and Cobb raised both arms in elebration.
He just missed tossing San Francisco's first no-hitter since Chris Heston on June 9, 2015, at the Mets.
After getting Noelvi Marte's first-pitch flyout to start the ninth, Cobb (7-5) issued a one-out walk to Nick Senzel before another fly to right by TJ Friedl. Then Steer came through with an opposite-field hit.
A run scored on the double, and Cobb threw a called third strike past rookie Elly De La Cruz on his career-high 131st pitch for his eighth strikeout.
Senzel was credited with a single in the third inning on a two-hopper that third baseman Casey Schmitt snagged with a backhand grab. The rookie’s throw from foul territory was high and pulled a leaping J.D. Davis off the first-base bag.
Official scorer Chris Thoms originally called the play a hit, then changed it to an error several minutes later.
Fans in the crowd of 26,078 leapt to their feet and cheered as Benson stepped in to face Cobb with two outs in the eighth. After going ahead 0-2, Cobb threw two straight balls to make the count 2-2 when Benson lofted a shallow fly into left-center as Cobb threw a fourth straight splitter. Slater sprinted nearly 20 feet to make the diving catch, which was immediately challenged by the Reds.
The play went to replay review and when crew chief Bill Miller announced moments later, “the call on the field stands,” the crowd roared.
Patrick Bailey hit a two-run homer to help Cobb win for the first time in nine starts since July 5. The Giants went ahead in the second on a balk then Luis Matos delivered an RBI double to back Cobb.
Reds starter Brandon Williamson allowed another run to score on a wild pitch in the third before Bailey connected.
Mitch Haniger returned from the 60-day injured list and played left field batting cleanup, going 0 for 4 with a strikeout in his first game since June 13 after missing 64.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Reds: LHP Nick Lodolo, sidelined by a stress reaction in his left tibia, will receive a second opinion Wednesday. ... The Reds sent OF Jake Fraley to Triple-A Louisville to begin a rehab assignment as he works back from a stress fracture in the fourth toe on his left foot.
Giants: OF Mike Yastrzemski could be back in the lineup as soon as Wednesday from a strained left hamstring after missing the past 26 games. The Giants still consider him day to day.
ROSTER MOVES
Reds: The Reds selected the contract of INF/OF Alejo Lopez from Triple-A Louisville and optioned OF Michael Siani to Louisville while designating RHP Tony Santillan for assignment.
Giants: San Francisco optioned OF Heliot Ramos to Triple-A Sacramento after Monday's game and designated OF Bryce Johnson for assignment.
UP NEXT
RHP Hunter Greene (2-5, 5.06 ERA) takes the mound for the Reds in the series finale making his first career appearance against the Giants while pitching for the third time since coming off a 62-day IL stint.
RHP Logan Webb (9-10, 3.51) counters for San Francisco trying to snap a four-start winless stretch.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
