Los Angeles Angels starter Bud Norris along with seven relievers combined to complete a no-hitter Friday night. Even with strong pitching, the team needed defensive help to pull off the no-hitter.
Behind the help of three diving stops on defense in just the ninth inning, the Angels finished off a no-hitter and beat the Seattle Mariners 4-0.
Defenders for the Angels made three stellar plays while Abel De Los Santos a 24-year old reliever closed the game.
Los Angeles manager Mike Scioscia called his defense unbelievable saying that the play of his three defenders was a great way to end a good night for the pitching staff.
Norris pitched two perfect innings that included two strikeouts, while Jose Alvarez pitched one perfect inning.
Cam Bedrosian allowed a runner due to catcher interference, while Andrew Bailey was perfect in the fifth.
Zach Shank was walked by Austin Adams in the sixth, and then Justin Anderson, Drew Gagnon and De Los Santos ended the game with each throwing a perfect inning.
Scioscia said that type of game is very fun for the younger players, calling De Los Santos and the others kids. All of them he added have been in the Angels camp for an extended period and this was a good way for it to happen.
The Angels manager said the young guys would enjoy their evenings after three of them made great plays in the ninth to preserve the no-hitter.
This was the first no-hitter for the Angels in spring training since March of 1996 against San Francisco. Seattle started only two of its regular position players Jean Segura and Leonys Martin.
Bailey had three strikeouts during his turn in the fifth and the pitchers for the Angels combined to strike out 12 Mariners.
Norris entered the seventh inning with a no-hitter against St. Louis while pitching for the Houston Astros in June of 2011. He is at the Angels camp after being a non-roster invitee.
Spring training this year has now seen two no-hitters. The first was Masahiro Tanaka and two relievers for the Yankees no-hitting the Detroit Tigers March 17.
