Maikel Franco hit a two-run homer with one out in the eighth inning, denying the Houston Astros in their attempt to throw a combined no-hitter Monday night in Baltimore.
Astros starter, Jake Odorizzi, and reliever Cristian Javier kept the Orioles without a hit for seven innings. Then there was a 41-minute rain delay at the top of the eighth.
Brandon Bielak came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth for Houston, and after it hit Austin Hays with a one-out pitch, Just the second base runner for Baltimore, Franco sent a drive deep into center field.
At the beginning of Franco’s at-bat, Bielak appeared to have thrown strike three, but didn’t get the call from the plate umpire, Ángel Hernández.
Houston was looking to launch the seventh no-hitter in the majors this season. That would have equaled the most in 1990, 1991, 2012 and 2015 since 1900, one less than the record of eight in 1884: release above season 1 allowed.