David Price returned to Tampa Bay to face his former team on Thursday afternoon. The left-hander delivered a stellar performance, throwing eight innings, giving up one run, one hit, and striking out nine. But was it good enough for the win?
Amazingly enough, it wasn't. Price fell to former teammate Alex Cobb as the Rays went on to win the game 1-0 after a Brandon Guyer triple in the bottom of the first inning drove in second baseman Ben Zobrist. Eugenio Suarez committed a throwing error on Zobrist's ground ball, which allowed him to reach base safely.
But aside from the first inning, neither team could get the bats going. Rays starter Alex Cobb went seven innings and gave up only two hits, two walks, and struck out six. Brad Boxberger came on in relief for Cobb in the eighth inning followed by Jake McGee in the ninth, who solidified the Rays' 1-0 victory. Cobb improved to 9-6 on the year and Price fell to 12-9.
Price's rare near-flawless performance that resulted in a loss was actually historic. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Price is only the third pitcher in the last 100 years to strike out at least nine batters in a one-hitter and lose the game. He joined Kevin Appier who struck out 11 in 1993 and Bobo Newsom who struck out nine in 1934. What's even crazier is that the Rays became only the third team since 1914 to win a game with one hit and zero walks, according to NBC Sports HardballTalk.
And one more outlandish statistic:
In last 100 years, David Price joins Bob Feller (April 23, 1952) as the only pitchers to throw CG 1-hitter (with hit being a triple) & lose
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) August 21, 2014
With the win, the Rays (62-65) avoided a three-game sweep as they continue to scratch and claw to get themselves in the playoff picture. Tampa Bay is 12 games back of the AL East division leading Baltimore Orioles and seven games back of the Tigers for the final wild card spot. But the Tigers (68-57) have been treating each game as if it's their last lately because they just relinquished the AL Central division lead to the Kansas City Royals and remain 1.5 games back.
