One pitch. That was the difference between a perfect game and a one-hitter. What a pitching performance tonight by Hiroki Kuroda. Atlanta's Mark Teixeira broke up Kuroda's perfect game leading off the 8th inning with a double that would turn out to be the only hit Kuroda would allow. With a little help from Blake DeWitt and Angel Berroa defensively, and Nomar Garciaparra's bat, the Dodgers helped Kuroda come close to the perfecto and earn the win that pulled the Dodgers even in the standings at 44-45 atop the NL West with Arizona.
Kuroda was masterful tonight, striking out six in the one-hit, complete-game shutout for the win. He kept the Atlanta hitters off-balanced all night, mixing his pitches very well, and getting some help by the Braves who were consistently swinging at first pitches all night. Final score: Dodgers 3, Braves 0.
I've seen a lot of great pitching performances in my lifetime but this one ranks up there with Nomo's no-no in Coors Field in 1996 and Fernando's no-no in 1990, even though Kuroda fell short of the perfect game. This is the second time this season Kuroda has taken a no-hitter into at least the seventh inning. The other time ended up in a loss in May against the Astros in a game the Astros would score eight runs over the final three innings against the bullpen to complete a three-game sweep of the Dodgers.
Kuroda was masterful tonight, striking out six in the one-hit, complete-game shutout for the win. He kept the Atlanta hitters off-balanced all night, mixing his pitches very well, and getting some help by the Braves who were consistently swinging at first pitches all night. Final score: Dodgers 3, Braves 0.
I've seen a lot of great pitching performances in my lifetime but this one ranks up there with Nomo's no-no in Coors Field in 1996 and Fernando's no-no in 1990, even though Kuroda fell short of the perfect game. This is the second time this season Kuroda has taken a no-hitter into at least the seventh inning. The other time ended up in a loss in May against the Astros in a game the Astros would score eight runs over the final three innings against the bullpen to complete a three-game sweep of the Dodgers.
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