Smith’s single breaks up Padres’ no-hit bid in 7th inning
Apr 7, 2022, 8:58 AM | Updated: 9:19 pm
San Diego Padres pitcher Yu Darvish throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning of a baseball game, Thursday, April 7, 2022, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)
(AP Photo/Matt York)
PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona’s Pavin Smith sliced a line-drive single to start the seventh inning, ending an opening day no-hit bid by the San Diego Padres on Thursday night.
Yu Darvish threw the first six innings for San Diego without giving up a hit, but he was pulled before the seventh after throwing 92 pitches. Manager Bob Melvin’s decision wasn’t a surprise: Pitchers all around the game are on limited pitch counts following a shortened spring training.
Left-hander Tim Hill relieved Darvish, matching up against the left-handed Smith to start the seventh, but the hitter responded with a clean single to left. The next batter, Carson Kelly, grounded into a double play.
Darvish — a five-time All-Star — made his third opening day start and second for the Padres. The 35-year-old struck out three and walked four.
Bob Feller threw baseball’s only opening-day no-hitter for Cleveland in 1940. The Hall of Famer was 21 years old when he accomplished the feat against the White Sox.
There were a record nine no-hitters thrown across the majors last season. Most of those came before a midseason crackdown by Major League Baseball on the use of illegal sticky substances by pitchers.
The Padres led 2-0. It’s a rough offensive start for the Diamondbacks, who are trying to bounce back from a 110-loss season.
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