Detroit’s Spencer Turnbull twirls fifth no-hitter of MLB season against Seattle

Spencer Turnbull pitched the fifth no-hitter in the majors already this season, sending the Detroit Tigers to a 5-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday night.

Turnbull, who led the big leagues in losses when he went 3-17 two years ago, had never gone more than seven innings in any of his previous 49 starts over three seasons. But a fastball in the mid-90mph range and a biting slider kept Seattle batters guessing and added to a growing list of mound gems in 2021.

The five no-hitters through 18 May match the 1917 season for the most in baseball history by that date. Two have been thrown in Seattle by opposing pitchers this month.

Turnbull’s no-no was the eighth in Tigers history and their first since Justin Verlander’s in Toronto on 7 May 2011.

“He was pretty relentless,” Detroit manager AJ Hinch said. “I’m really proud of him. He’s worked really hard and deserves every bit of tonight.”

The 28-year-old right-hander got a great defensive play from third baseman Jeimer Candelario in the seventh inning and then struck out Mitch Haniger in the ninth to end it.

Turnbull (3-2) struck out nine and walked two. He issued a free pass to Jose Marmolejos leading off the ninth when a full-count curveball missed wide, just the second baserunner for Seattle. Turnbull struck out Sam Haggerty for the first out and got Jarred Kelenic to ground into a fielder’s choice for the second out.

Haniger, who came closest to a hit for the Mariners earlier in the game, went down swinging on a 95mph fastball for the final out. Turnbull screamed in joy and was engulfed in a hug from catcher Eric Haase before being overrun by teammates.

“He delivered some pretty good 3-2 breaking balls,” Hinch said. “He kept kind of answering the challenge.”

Spencer Turnbull struck out nine and walked two in pitching the first no-hitter of his MLB career.

Turnbull didn’t make his season debut until 21 April because he contracted Covid-19 and missed a couple of weeks. But he joined a no-hitter list for 2021 that already included San Diego right-hander Joe Musgrove at Texas on 9 April, Chicago White Sox left-hander Carlos Rodón against Cleveland on 14 April, Baltimore’s John Means in Seattle on 5 May and Cincinnati lefty Wade Miley against Cleveland on 7 My.

In addition, Arizona left-hander Madison Bumgarner pitched seven hitless innings in a complete game during a doubleheader against Atlanta on 25 April, but that is not recognized as an official no-hitter by Major League Baseball because the game did not go at least nine innings – it was shortened under pandemic rules in effect for a second straight season.

Turnbull threw a career-high 117 pitches, 77 for strikes. Haniger was the only batter to hit the ball hard enough to threaten a base hit.

“You could tell he was in command of things,” Hinch said about Turnbull. “He was generating soft contact on the ground.”

Like seemingly every no-hitter, there was at least one great defensive play and Turnbull’s was no different. Haniger sent a drive to the wall in center field in the fourth inning that Akil Baddoo pulled in, but it was his shot in the seventh that appeared destined for a hit.

Haniger lined a fastball at 108mph off the bat down the third base line. Candelario made a terrific sprawling stop of the one-hopper and a strong throw to first to get Haniger.

Seattle joined Cleveland in being no-hit twice already this season. It was nearly three times for the Mariners after Cleveland’s Zach Plesac took a no-no into the eighth inning against the Mariners last week before it was broken up.