Guardians Star Parker Messick Throws 8.0 Innings of No-Hit Baseball in Win Over Baltimore

The ninth inning started with the Guardians holding a 4-0 lead thanks to a Jose Ramirez two-run home run in the first inning. That was followed up with a fifth-inning RBI single and a George Valera RBI single in the sixth.

What felt like a comfortable victory heading into the ninth was anything but that in the ninth.

After Messick left the game, closer Cade Smith took the mound, and it was nervous moments on the corner.

Taylor Ward singled to left field, which was a frozen rope, so no one scored, but it welcomed Gunnar Henderson to the plate with the bases loaded. Henderson put a charge into one and flew out to the warning track, just feet away from a game-tying grand slam.

It didn't end there. With runners on the corners, Pete Alanso stepped to the plate and again wasted no time. He hit a rocket down the right field line, and he, too, missed a game-tying home run off the top of the wall that knocked in another run.

Smith dug deep and got the next two batters to strand runners in scoring position. The final out of the game was a web gem from Juan Brito to get the Guardians out of the jam and add another mark in the win column.

Messick moves to 3-0 on the season with an ERA of 1.05. Baltimore's Shane Boz takes the loss after surrendering four earned runs on six hits over 6.0 innings pitched.

Cleveland and Baltimore take the field on Friday night with a 6:10 first pitch.

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