So close: Mikolas’ no-hit bid broken up in ninth
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Miles Mikolas fell one strike short of a no-hitter for the St. Louis Cardinals against Pittsburgh when Cal Mitchell doubled with two outs in the ninth inning Tuesday night.
Mitchell drove a 2-2 curveball just over the head of Gold Glove center fielder Harrison Bader. The ball bounced on the warning track 383 feet from home plate and over the wall in straightaway center for a ground-rule double.
The hit came on the 129th pitch from Mikolas, a career high. He was lifted right after that for Packy Naughton, who closed out a 9-1 victory over the Pirates in the second game of a doubleheader.
Mikolas struck out six and walked one. Pittsburgh got an unearned run in the fourth to make it 7-1 when Bryan Reynolds scored on Daniel Vogelbach’s groundout.