Brandon Workman takes no-hitter into 7th inning in 1st MLB start

The 23-year-old rookie carried a no-no through six innings before surrendering two runs in the seventh in Boston’s 3-2 extra-inning loss to the Oakland A’s.

by Jeff Gray

Jul 14, 2013, 11:59 PM UTC

USA TODAY Sports

What began as a brilliant outing for Boston Red Sox rookie Brandon Workman in his first-ever MLB start got ugly in a hurry on Sunday afternoon, as a two-run seventh inning knocked him out of the game and led to the Oakland A's eventual 3-2 11th inning win.

Workman carried a no-hitter into the seventh, but a sudden collapse allowed Oakland to tie the game at two and set the stage for their eventual walk-off hit in the bottom of the 11th.

Workman, who had one previous appearance in relief this season prior to Sunday, cruised through the first six innings, striking out five and walking just one as his Red Sox built a 2-0 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh.

That's where things turned sour for the 23-year-old righty. Coco Crisp busted the no-hitter with the first at-bat of the frame, legging out an infield single to start the rally.

After Workman retired John Jaso on a pop out to short, Josh Donaldson crushed a full-count pitch over the center field wall to complete the rookie's sudden and surprising collapse. The homer tied the game at two and prompted the end of Workman's otherwise stellar outing. He finished having allowed two runs on two hits through 6⅓.

With two outs and two men on in the bottom of the 11th, Donaldson continued his heroics by knocking a single through the right side to score the walk-off run. He finished 2-for-5 with three RBI.

Workman's performance comes just two days after Houston Astros rookie Jarred Cosart took a no-no into the seventh of his MLB debut against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday. The 23-year-old finished with eight innings of shutout ball and allowed just two hits in Houston's 2-1 win.

Of course, Workman hopes he’ll get a better reward for his performance than Cosart, who learned he was being sent back down to triple-A ball immediately following Friday’s game.

The last Red Sox no-hitter came in 2008 when Jon Lester blanked the Kansas City Royals in Fenway Park. To find the last no-hitter against the A's, you have to go all the way back to 1990 when Nolan Ryan no-hit them as a member of the Texas Rangers.

Boston took an initial 1-0 lead in the top of the sixth, when Dustin Pedroia drove in Jacoby Ellsbury with a one-out single. They would add on an inning later as Brock Holt's RBI single made it 2-0.

After forcing extras, Oakland was in good position for a walk-off win in the bottom of the tenth after Yoenis Cespedes found himself on second base with no outs after advancing on an error. The golden opportunity suddenly vanished when the outfielder was caught stealing third, however, and the A's left the inning with nothing to show for it.

Boston blew an opportunity of their own in the top of the 11th, as they failed to capitalize on a bases-loaded situation. With the bases full and two outs, Oakland's Ryan Cook got Holt to strike out looking to end the threat.