There was far more excitement at Target Field on Saturday night than one might expect with two teams a combined nearly 50 games out of first place doing battle.
And that excitement came from an unexpected place as well -- Royals starter Jorge Lopez. The 25-year-old righty -- who came over in the Mike Moustakas deal in July -- was making just his fifth start with Kansas City and just the seventh of his career, and he took a perfect game into the ninth inning.
There have been just 23 perfect games in MLB history, and the next no-hitter will be the 300th.
Lopez showed good velocity -- 93.5 mph average on his four-seam fastball, 93.4 on his sinker -- but was far from overpowering, this pitch notwithstanding:
Lopez threw 110 pitches and induced just six swinging strikes -- well below the league-average mark that's typically around 10 percent. He fanned just four batters, and it was a walk to Max Kepler leading off the ninth that squashed the perfect-game bid, with Robbie Grossman's single up the box just past Lopez's glove that took the no-hitter away just five pitches later.
Lopez looked skyward as he came out of the game, and as Rustin Dodd of The Athletic reports, it's a wonderful story as to why:
According to a website run by Twins official scorer Stew Thornley, this marked the third no-hitter broken up in the ninth inning this season:
Lopez, 9/8 vs. Minnesota
Atlanta Braves LHP Sean Newcomb, 7/29 vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
St. Louis Cardinals RHP Michael Wacha, June 3 vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
Since the Twins came into existence in 1961, they've been a part of 16 no-hitters that were broken up in the ninth inning.
Here's a quick synopsis of them, broken up by whether it was the Twins breaking it up or having it broken up:
No-hitters broken up by Twins hitters (11)
May 24, 2013 -- Joe Mauer breaks up an Anibal Sanchez no-hit bid with a one-out single at Comerica Park.
Aug. 23, 2010 -- Mauer breaks up combined no-hit effort of Rich Harden, Matt Harrison, Darren O'Day and Neftali Feliz with a one-out single at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.
May 6, 2008 -- Mauer breaks up Gavin Floyd's no-hit bid with a one-out double at the U.S. Cellular Field.
May 5, 1987 -- Tom Nieto breaks up an Eric Bell no-hit bid with a leadoff single at the Metrodome. The Twins wound up getting five hits in the game.
Sept. 28, 1982 -- Randy Bush breaks up a Jim Clancy no-hit bid with a leadoff single at Exhibition Stadium.
Sept. 5, 1981 -- Sal Butera breaks up a Jim Slaton no-hit bid with a leadoff single at Metropolitan Stadium.
April 23, 1980 -- Ken Landreaux breaks up a Bruce Kison no-hitter with a one-out single at Metropolitan Stadium.
Aug. 10, 1969 -- Cesar Tovar breaks up a Mike Cuellar no-hit bid with a one-out single at Memorial Stadium.
May 15, 1969 -- Cesar Tovar breaks up a Dave McNally no-hitter with a one-out single at Metropolitan Stadium.
May 11, 1963 -- Vic Power breaks up Ted Bowsfield's no-hitter with a leadoff single at Metropolitan Stadium.
No-hitters by Twins pitchers broken up in the ninth (5)
Aug. 31, 2007 -- Mike Sweeney breaks up Scott Baker's no-hit bid with a one-out single at the Metrodome. Baker's perfect game was broken up with a John Buck walk to lead the inning off.
Aug. 7, 1976 -- Roy Howell breaks up a Steve Luebber no-hitter with a two-out single at Arlington Stadium.
June 1, 1968 -- Bill Voss breaks up a Dean Chance no-hit bid with a one-out single at White Sox Park.
June 26, 1964 -- Mike Hershberger breaks up a Gerry Arrigo no-hit bid with a one-out single at Metropolitan Stadium.
Sept. 27, 1961 -- Don Dillard breaks up Al Schroll's no-hitter with a leadoff single at Metropolitan Stadium.
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