Hits didn’t come easily in MLB games on Thursday.
MLB roundup: Offense at a premium, Yankees turn triple play
Pitchers around the league weren’t feeling too charitable on Thursday.
Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Adam Wainwright tossed a complete-game two-hitter in the Cardinals' win over the Nationals and several other pitchers took no-hitters fairly deep into games on an offensively challenged day around baseball.
White Sox ace Chris Sale had a no-no into the sixth and wound up surrendering only one hit, a solo home run to Xander Bogaerts, in his start against the Red Sox. Jon Lester wasn't generous, either, carrying a perfect game through 5⅓ before eventually allowing a run on seven hits in eight innings.
Padres starter Ian Kennedy kept the Rockies under wraps and also had a no-hitter going into the sixth inning, but Franklin Morales' equally strong outing -- Colorado's starter gave up only four hits in six frames -- kept Kennedy and San Diego from getting a win.
A.J. Burnett allowed just three hits in the Phillies' 1-0 win over the Braves, and Twins starter Kyle Gibson was almost as stingy, surrendering four knocks in eight innings in his team's shutout victory against the Blue Jays. Hyun-jin Ryu, James Shields and Yovani Gallardo also allowed four or fewer hits in their starts.
Baseball is hard -- particularly for the guys with the bats in their hands, apparently.
Yankees turn triple play
The Yankees won their fifth consecutive game on Thursday, and a key sequence in the second inning was a huge reason why.
New York jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the second frame, but the Rays had runners on first and second with nobody out against a reeling CC Sabathia, who had already thrown 12 pitches in the inning. Sabathia induced a roller off the bat of Sean Rodriguez on the first pitch, and the Yankees infield did this:
It was the 27th time the Yankees have turned a triple play in their history. Surprisingly, 11 franchises have more, according to this list published by SABR.org.
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