Game Wrap 8/29/2023: Giants 6 Reds 1

 Alex Cobb came within 1 out of a no-hitter but settled for a complete game win while wearing the "creamsicle" City Connect uniforms which have become quite the thing for the Giants.  Key Lines:

Austin Slater CF- 2 for 3, 2B, BB.  BA= .267.  Slater seems to be definitely out of his slump.  He also made a long running and diving catch of a bloop to CF to keep the no-hitter alive with the third out on the 8'th inning.

Patrick Bailey C- 2 for 4, HR(7).  BA= .260.  Bailey is 4 for 11 with a walk over his last 3 games.  He's hitting just .231 over his last 7 though.  Oh, and he came within an out of catching a no-hitter.

Alex Cobb RHP- 9 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 8 K's, GO/AO= 13/5.  ERA= 3.57.  Cobb had an unhittable diving 90 MPH splitter going from the first batter and used it a lot.  Cobb almost lost the no-hitter with 2 outs in the 3'rd inning as Nick Senzel grounded one down the 3B line that Casey Schmitt 3B fielded behind the bang and foul territory somewhat reminiscent of Joaquin Arias and the final out of Matt Cain's Perfect Game except Schmitt's throw was high and pulled J. D. Davis off 1B.  It was initially ruled a hit over Kruk and Kuip's objections but quickly changed to a very tough error on the rook.  I can see the argument for the error but if he'd made a perfect throw and gotten the out, it would have been a great play.  

After that, the Reds did not sniff a hit until the bloop that Slater caught to end the 8'th inning.   Cobb did not seem quite as sharp in the 9'th as his pitch count climbed beyond the usual limits.  It ended when Spencer Steer roped a double into the R-CF gap that was a no-doubter and drove in a baserunner who reached by walk to also end the shutout.  Cobb stayed in the game to record the final out by K and came off to a standing O from the crowd and lots of handshakes and hugs from teammates.   Cobb joins Forever Giants Matt Moore LHP and Yusmeiro Petit RHP who lost no-hitters with 2-outs in the 9'th inning in relatively recent years.  Petit's was even a perfecto when he lost his.

When I was a kid, Tom Seaver lost a perfect game against the Cubs with 2 outs in the ninth on a soft liner by Jimmy Qualls.  Then in 1975, Seaver lost a no-hitter, also against the Cubs, with 2 outs in the 9'th inning.  In 1967, Billy Rohr, a rookie LHP making his first MLB start for the Red Sox against the Yankees came within 1 out of a no-hitter when Elston Howard broke it up with a soft single.  Bill Rohr only won 2 more games in an injury-shortened MLB career. He went on to become a successful attorney. I have met him personally several times and reminisced about seeing him on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

With the Win, the Giants passed the D'Backs for the lead in the race for the final Wild Card playoff spot.  

Logan Webb RHP goes for the swweeeep tomorrow afternoon facing Hunter Greene RHP.  Webb has a couple of tough acts to follow after Kyle Harrison LHP's electrifying performance Monday and Cobb's near no-no tonight.

Churn Watch:  Mitch Haniger OF was activated from the 60-day IL and started the game in LF.  Heliot Ramos was optioned to AAA Sacramento and Bryce Johnson OF was DFA'd to make room on the 40-man roster.  The DFA's are getting more painful.  I guess that's a good sign?