Giants left-handed star Blake Snell no-hit the Reds on Friday night in Cincinnati, walking three and striking out 11 across 114 pitches in San Francisco’s 3-0 win at Great American Ballpark.
Snell was at 108 pitches through eight innings, and despite having never pitched a complete game in his big league career, manager Bob Melvin sent him back out to the mound in the notoriously hitter-friendly venue.
The southpaw answered with a perfect ninth, retiring Reds All-Star Elly De La Cruz for the final out with a fly ball that landed into Mike Yastrzemski’s glove.
“You’re so amped up in the last inning there, to be able to make that throw when you are trying to throw it as hard as you can to the plate,” Snell told reporters after the game.
“I’m still kind of in shock. I need to go home and let it sink in. I haven’t really processed the game.”
The historic outing comes just days after the Giants opted to hang on to Snell, who was in constant trade rumors over the past couple of weeks, at the deadline.
It was the 18th no-hitter in Giants history and the third no-no this season.
“That’s as nervous as I had been in a long time,” Melvin said after the gem. “I wanted that for him so bad. If anybody has the stuff to throw a no-hitter, it’s Blake Snell.”
