Chicago White Sox lefty stater Ken Brett's takes a no-hitter through two outs in the ninth. He lost his no-hit bid in agonizing fashion: rather than fielding Jerry Remy's slow roller and making the throw to first, White Sox third baseman Jorge Orta hopes it will go foul.... but it stayed fair.
Brett hangs tough and gets another 4 outs for 10 innings of two-hit ball. He also gets the victory because the Sox beat the Angels 1-0 in 11 innings.
4 comments:
What a dope Orta was! Even if it did go foul, you're giving the batter another chance to swing the bat.
I didn't see the game... but I gotta believe that Orta had no chance at making the throw in time. I will look it up in an old newspaper.
Here is what Ken Brett's page on "The Ballplayers" says:
May 26, 1976 - In a scoreless game in Anaheim‚ Chicago's Ken Brett has a no-hitter with 2 out in the 9th when California's Jerry Remy tops a slow roller down the 3B line. 3B Jorge Orta lets the ball roll and‚ in a controversial ruling‚ it is scored a hit‚ though many thought it ought to be ruled an error. Brett gives up a hit in the 10th to ex-Sox Bill Melton but wins the game 1-0 in 11 innings
A better description on Ken's SABR page:
The season highlight came on May 26, when he mowed down the first 24 Angels he faced and took a no-hitter two outs into the ninth inning before giving up a controversial single to Jerry Remy. Remy's half-swing, half-bunt bouncer to third was misplayed by charging third baseman Jorge Orta, who let the ball get by him. It was ruled a hit by the official scorer, bringing down the ire of Brett, who later said, "I think the call on me was brutal, I think it stunk, but I understand the guy who made it is short, so maybe he couldn't see out of the press box. But what the hell, we won." It did take 11 innings for the White Sox to win the game, 1-0, with Brett pitching 10 innings and getting credit for the victory, while giving up one more hit in the 10th. Even brother George got into the discussion the next day, threatening to send diminutive teammate Freddie Patek after the official scorer, who was roughly the same size.
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