Trevor Cahill flirted with the third no-hitter in franchise history Wednesday to help the Arizona Diamondbacks win the rubber game of a series at San Francisco.
Cahill retired the first 16 batters he faced before walking Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford in the sixth inning of the D-backs’ 6-2 victory at AT&T Park, and he did not give up a hit until Marco Scutaro lined a 2-0 fastball into right field as the leadoff batter in the seventh.
The Giants did not get the ball out of the infield until Pagan flied out to center fielder Adam Eaton to lead off the fourth inning. After getting three ground balls in the first inning, Cahill struck out five of the next six batters he faced. He got the side looking in the third inning.
“When he’s getting ground balls, you know he’s on. That sinker doesn’t stop moving,” said D-backs third baseman Chris Johnson, who had a triple and doubled in two runs in a four-run seventh inning.
Eaton, making his second career start after being purchased from Class AAA Reno on Tuesday, saved the no-hitter in the sixth with a diving catch of Pagan’s sinking line drive with two outs. It was a 2-0 game at the time.
Randy Johnson threw the D-backs’ first no-hitter, a perfect game at Atlanta on May 18, 2004. Edwin Jackson had a no-hitter at Tampa Bay on June 25, 2010.
Cahill gave up one more hit before leaving with one out in the seventh. Buster Posey reached on an infield single with one out in the inning when Cahill was unable to barehand his chopper between the mound and third. After Hunter Pence walked to load the bases, Cahill was replaced by left-hander Mike Zagurski, who gave up a two-run single but prevented further damage by getting an inning-ending double play.
Cahill has one of the D-backs’ two shutouts this season, beating San Diego 6-0 on June 3. He gave up six hits and walked three while striking out five. Cahill induced four double play grounders that game, when the Padres got only one runner as far as third base. Joe Saunders shut out Miami on April 27.