DETROIT — Matt Manning has no regrets about being pulled while pitching a no-hitter.
He said he didn’t realize it until someone told him in the dig.
“I have no idea,” he said. “I was like, ‘Okay, dang,’
By the end of the game, everyone at Comerica Park knew what Manning and relievers Jason Foley and Alex Lange had accomplished.
Foley and Lange finished what Manning started, and the Tigers no-hit the Toronto Blue Jays 2-0 on Saturday.
Manning (3-1) pitched 6 2/3 innings and Foley struck out four straight.
Lange, the Tigers’ closer, came on in the ninth and struck out Bo Pichette on three pitches. Brandon Belt lined out to center field, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.. was forced to third on an 0-2 pitch.
It was the ninth no-hitter in Tigers history and the first combined. It was the first no-hitter since Spencer Turnbull’s no-hitter against the Seattle Mariners on May 18, 2021. Detroit no-hits the Blue Jays for the second time – Justin Verlander did it on May 7, 2011 in Toronto.
Verlander also pitched the most recent no-hitter for Houston against the Blue Jays on September 1, 2019.
His second no-hitter in the majors this season was after Domingo German’s perfect game for the New York Yankees on June 28 in Oakland. By Houston Astros against the Yankees on June 25, 2022, and the Astros repeat the feat — again with Christian Javier as the starter — vs Philadelphia Phillies in Game 4 of the World Series on Nov. 2.
The Tigers joined the crowd in celebration with Manning and Foley.
“How about it, Detroit?” Lange shouted to the crowd during an on-field interview with Manning, Foley and catcher Eric Haas. “Thanks for sitting in the rain to cheer for us.”
Manning was replaced after Cavan Biggio struck out with two outs in the top of the seventh. He walked three batters and struck out one while striking out five. He threw 91 pitches.
“He was working a ton,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “I almost got him out after the fifth and sixth. I sent him in the seventh, but if a runner lands, we have to worry about winning the game.
Foley retired Whit Merrifield in the seventh before pitching a perfect eighth.
“I thought Matty was going to keep going, but I just tried to get in there and throw strikes,” he said. “It’s awesome — I couldn’t ask for two better guys to do it.”
Kevin Gausman (7-5) allowed two runs in the first inning.
Riley Green singled in his first game since May 30 and scored in the first on Spencer Torkelson’s one-out double.
Kerry Carpenter made it 2-0 with an RBI triple, but Javier Baez scored on an inning-inning double play.
Carpenter made a spectacular catch to start the fourth inning, sliding into foul territory to snare Guerrero Jr.’s pop fly down the right-field line.
Bayes made a big play in the sixth, racing left fielder Matt Vierling to left-center field to catch Pichet’s fly ball.
“You’ve got to tip your hat to good pitching and some great defense,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “JV made a good play on Bow’s ball and Carpenter caught Vlady. That’s usually what happens — you have good pitching support with some good plays.
The match was delayed by 1 hour and 22 minutes due to rain in the first innings.
“I think that helped me a lot — fighting through adversity like that early,” said Manning, who struck out Pichette and started the game with a belt walk. “I got into rhythm with Haas, and it was really good.”
Haase also caught Turnbull’s no-hitter.
“About the sixth inning, you start counting,” he said. “Matt kept them uncomfortable, and then Foley came in and closed the door before Lange could do what he was doing.”
The Tigers lost 12-2 to the Blue Jays on Friday.
“What we didn’t do last night was our attitude at the plate,” Haas said. “That’s baseball — we kicked our teeth in last night and had a combined no-hitter today.”
Roster moves
The Tigers activated Green and RHP Beau Pryske from the injured list, optioned RHP Alex Fado to Triple-A Toledo and designated INF Jonathan Schoop for assignment.
Big revenue
Green reached base four times, singled twice and walked twice in his return.
Won over visiting fans
For the second time in 24 hours, the Tigers and Blue Jays drew more than 30,000 fans — about 50% supporting each team. It’s not unusual for Toronto teams to visit Detroit, but even fans in blue cheered at the end of the game.
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LHP Tarik Skubal (0-0, 0.00) started the three-game series Sunday in his second start of the season for Detroit. RHP Chris Bassitt (8-5, 4.09) is slated to pitch for the Blue Jays.
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