Max Fried and two Atlanta Braves relievers came within a no-hitter of the New York Mets during Saturday’s 4-1 victory.
After Fried went seven innings, Joe Jiménez closed out the Mets in the eighth and closer Raisel Iglesias came on in the ninth to try to make history. He struck out Francisco Lindor and then got Pete Alonso to go to shortstop and strike them out.
But on the first pitch to J.D. Martinez, the Mets’ designated hitter struck out to right-center field to break the no-hitter.
Martinez nearly broke the no-no in the bottom of the seventh inning against Fried, but center fielder Michael Harris II connected on the warning track.
Harris II also contributed offensively, going 3-for-3 with 1 run and 1 RBI after entering the game on an 0-for-29 skid.
If the Braves had pulled it off, it would have been the franchise’s 15th no-hitter and first since Kent Merker on April 8, 1994. It also would have ended MLB. longest no-hitter dry.
The Braves’ miss means Houston Astros pitcher Ronel Blanco still owns his only no-hitter this season, which he achieved on April 1 during a 10-0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.
