Angels Beat Twins 2-1, Sandoval Breaks No-Hit Bid
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO/AP) - The Los Angeles Angels beat the Minnesota Twins 2-1 Saturday night with Angels pitcher Patrick Sandoval breaking his near-record no-hit bid.
Patrick Sandoval knew history was within his grasp. The young Los Angeles Angels left-hander looked up at the scoreboard after every inning to confirm his work: no hits allowed.
Sandoval had his no-hit bid broken up with one out in the ninth inning on a soft double by rookie Brent Rooker as the Angels beat the Minnesota Twins.
"All of a sudden, I got shunned," Sandoval said. "After the seventh, I came in and I was like, 'Everyone is really far away from me."′
Sandoval, a 24-year-old who began the game with a 3-13 career record, struck out a career-high 13. He was vying for the 12th no-hitter in Angels history — Nolan Ryan threw four of his record seven no-hitters for them.
There have already been seven no-hitters in the majors this season. The big-league record of eight was set in 1884, the first year overhand pitching was permitted.
The Twins hadn't come close to a hit until Rooker, who fanned his first three times up, flared an opposite-field fly that fell just inside the line in right.
Sandoval (3-4) smiled after the ball fell, retired the next batter and then was pulled after 108 pitches. He walked one and hit two.
Closer Raisel Iglesias allowed an RBI double to Josh Donaldson before getting his 21st save in 25 chances.
José Berríos (7-5) allowed two unearned runs in seven innings in perhaps his final start for Minnesota. Berríos, a potential trade candidate after being unable to come to terms on a contract extension, allowed three hits and struck out four.
But, in a somewhat unexpected fashion, this was Sandoval's night.
He had made just 26 career starts in the majors. Acquired from the Houston Astros in 2018 in a trade for catcher Martin Maldonado, Sandoval has shown an ability to get swings and misses, but he displayed the knack for shutting a team down on Saturday.
Sandoval kept the struggling Twins at bay with a combination of his sinker, changeup and slider.
Minnesota, who traded Nelson Cruz to Tampa Bay this week in the first of a likely sell-off situation, hardly challenged for a hit against Sandoval.
(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)