Advertisement

Braves' Morton loses no-hit bid in 7th vs Cardinals

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Charlie Morton delivers in the first inning of the team's baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday, June 17, 2021, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

ATLANTA (AP) — Braves starter Charlie Morton lost his no-hit bid with one out in the seventh inning when Paul Goldschmidt singled for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Morton hit Matt Carpenter with a pitch in the third inning Thursday night and also drilled Dylan Carlson in the fourth, the only baserunners he allowed before Goldschmidt ripped a full-count sinker, the 10th pitch of his at-bat.

The 37-year-old Morton entered the seventh with six strikeouts and 72 pitches thrown.

St. Louis starter John Gant didn't allow a hit until Ronald Acuña Jr. singled to open the fourth. Freddie Freeman followed with a single, but the inning ended when Austin Riley lined out to third.

Morton entered 2-12 with a 5.68 ERA in 18 career starts against St. Louis. The two-time All-Star signed a $15 million, one-year deal with Atlanta this winter after helping Tampa Bay win the AL pennant in 2020.

Plagued often by big innings this year, Morton was steady with a fastball up to 96 mph, mixing in plenty of curves and cutters, too.

The Braves led 3-0.

There have been six no-hitters already this season, and a seventh would match 1990, 1991, 2012 and 2015 for the most since 1900, one shy of the record eight in 1884 — the first season overhand pitching was allowed.

Morton could have joined San Diego’s Joe Musgrove (April 9), Carlos Rodón of the Chicago White Sox (April 9), Baltimore’s John Means (May 5), Detroit’s Spencer Turnbull (May 18) and the New York YankeesCorey Kluber (May 19).

In addition, Arizona’s Madison Bumgarner had a seven-inning hitless game in a doubleheader on April 25 that is not recognized as a no-hitter by Major league Baseball.

___

More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https;//twitter.com/AP_Sports