CLEVELAND — Minnesota Twins rookie Joe Ryan is pitching a perfect game through six innings against the Cleveland Indians in just his second major league start.
The 25-year-old Ryan is bidding to pitch the record ninth no-hitter in the majors this season, topping the mark set in 1884 — the first year overhand pitching was permitted.
Ryan was acquired in July from Tampa Bay when the Twins sent slugger Nelson Cruz to the Rays. He was with Team USA at the Olympics at the time of the deal and went 1-0 with a 1.74 ERA in Tokyo. The right-hander made his major league debut against the Cubs on Sept. 1 and pitched three-run ball over five innings.
Ryan has struck out four and thrown 74 pitches. He threw 89 pitches in his debut.
The Indians have already been no-hit twice this season. The closest they’ve come to getting a baserunner against Ryan came in the second inning, when slugger Franmil Reyes hit a hard grounder that third basemen Luis Arraez snagged and threw out Cleveland’s designated hitter.
Arizona rookie Tyler Gilbert threw the majors’ most recent no-hitter on Aug. 14, and the Chicago Cubs threw the only combined effort this year on June 24.
The other no-hitters this season were thrown by San Diego’s Joe Musgrove (April 9), Carlos Rodón of the Chicago White Sox (April 14), Baltimore’s John Means (May 5), Cincinnati’s Wade Miley (May 7), Detroit’s Spencer Turnbull (May 18) and the Yankees’ Corey Kluber (May 19).
There also have been a pair of seven-inning no-hitters this season, which don’t officially count in the Major League Baseball record book.
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