Clarke Schmidt tosses gem for seven innings as Yankees settle for one-hitter in win over Orioles
Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees.On a day made for hitting, the Yankees’ bats finally fell in line.Clarke Schmidt did not.The Yankees right-hander twirled seven no-hit innings on a steamy Saturday afternoon in The Bronx, but did not get a chance to finish his chase for history because of a rising pitch count.Schmidt matched a career-high with 103 pitches to get through the seventh inning before Aaron Boone went to the bullpen, calling on JT Brubaker, who needed just one batter to end the no-hit bid.The Yankees still one-hit the Orioles in a 9-0 win on a much-needed, get-right day for their offense, but the uber-competitive Schmidt may be left forever wondering what might have happened if he got the opportunity to finish what he started.Schmidt, who has dealt with various injuries throughout his career (including rotator cuff tendinitis this spring), had a season-high of 99 pitches before Saturday.
He was coming off a 97-pitch effort five days ago in which he threw 7 2/3 innings, so the Yankees (44-32) had reason to be protective of their 29-year-old.But the sellout crowd of 46,142 voiced its displeasure when ex-Yankee Gary Sánchez lined a single to center field off Brubaker to lead off the eighth inning, ending a bid to become the 13th no-hitter or perfect game in Yankees regular-season history.As it was, Schmidt gave up just two walks — both in a 27-pitch first inning that drove up his pitch count early — and hit a batter with an errant curveball.He extended his career-high scoreless streak to 25 1/3 innings while striking out five and largely breezing through the Orioles’ lineup.By the time he took the mound for the second inning, Schmidt had a 1-0 lead to work with and the Yankees kept piling on from there – much of it against righty Zach Eflin, who lasted just three innings for the last-place Orioles (33-43).Trent Grisham, J.C.Escarra, Ben Ri...