Max Fried and two Atlanta Braves relievers came within one out of a no-hitter against the New York Mets during a 4-1 victory Saturday.
After Fried went seven innings and was retired after 109 pitches, Joe Jiménez closed out the Mets in the eighth and closer Raisel Iglesias entered the ninth to try to make history. He struck out Francisco Lindor and then got Pete Alonso to ground out to shortstop to put them within one out.
But on the first pitch to JD Martínez, the Mets’ designated hitter hit a home run to right center field to break up the no-hitter.
Martinez nearly broke the no-no in the bottom of the seventh against Fried, but center fielder Michael Harris II tackled him at the warning track.
Harris also contributed offensively, going 3-for-3 with a run and an RBI after entering the game on an 0-for-29 streak.
Had the Braves pulled it off, it would have been the franchise’s 15th no-hitter and first since Kent Merker’s on April 8, 1994. It would have also ended MLB’s streak. fourth longest no-hitter drought.
The fact that the Braves have fallen short means that Houston Astros pitcher Ronel Blanco still owns the only no-hitter this season, which he accomplished on April 1 during a 10-0 win over the Blue Jays. from Toronto.