SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Chris Bubich’s attempt at a no-hitter for the Kansas City Royals came to an end with a scoring change on Monday night.
The left-hander wasn’t particularly fazed by it.
Bubich had a memorable homecoming, delivering seven shutout innings and allowing just two hits in a 3-1 win over the San Francisco Giants.
“I was aware of it, but I wasn’t nervous,” Bubich remarked. “I wasn’t really focused on it. In my mind, I was just concentrating.”
Bubich went six innings without surrendering a hit, until the Royals’ second baseman Michael Massey was charged with an error. This was later changed to a single. This occurred just before the seventh inning.
With two outs in the sixth, Wilmer Flores hit a grounder towards second base. Massey attempted to make a play but slipped at the edge of the grass, allowing the ball to roll past him and into the outfield.
The official scorer Michael Duca initially ruled the play an error, while Bubich struck out John Who Lee to complete the inning.
However, after reviewing the video, Duca modified the call to credit Flores with a base hit.
Casey Schmitt’s clean double down the left field line in the seventh marked Bubich’s (5-2) only hit allowed. He notched five strikeouts, walked three, and reduced his ERA to 1.47.
This is the second-lowest ERA for a Royals pitcher in the first 10 starts of the season, with Zack Greinke holding the record at 0.84 when he won the AL Cy Young Award in 2009.
Vinnie Pascantino hit a two-run homer off reliever Tyler Rogers (2-2) to break the scoreless tie in the eighth, praising Bubich’s performance.
“The hitters come to the base and express how frustrating it is to face him,” Pascantino said. “That’s exactly what you’re looking for. He was outstanding tonight.”
In his last four starts, Bubich has allowed just one run over 25 1/3 innings.
This game took place at the ballpark where Bubich grew up cheering for the Giants. He attended Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose and later went to Stanford University.
“I probably sat in every section of this ballpark,” he reflected.
Bubich, 27, estimated that 30-40 family members and friends were in attendance.
“You always want to perform well in front of them, which makes everything a bit easier,” Bubich joked.
He noted that he had pitched twice at Oracle Park previously, including a six-inning scoreless performance on April 9, 2023, in a 3-1 loss.
“I treated it just like any other game,” he clarified. “It’s nice to pitch in front of friends and family, and I’m happy they experienced our victory.”
Bubich underwent Tommy John surgery in 2023 and served primarily as a relief pitcher in 27 appearances last season.
He once pitched six hitless innings against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on August 21, 2021. After a weather delay, he allowed a walk followed by a home run to Patrick Wisdom, ultimately giving up just one hit in 6 1/3 innings in the Royals’ 4-2 win.
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Source: apnews.com