Astros’ Mike Fiers throws no-hitter

In good hands, or so we thought, as Zack Greinke took his 13-2 record and 1.58 ERA to the mound for Los Angeles.

Coming the day after being no-hit by Mike Fiers, the Dodgers remained hitless until Jimmy Rollins led off the fourth with a single.

“I had no idea during the game”, Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. It was dreamlike, the ending, the build up through the whole was surreal for Fiers “you throw the last pitch, you feel the emotion of everything you’ve been through in your life”, he said.

After requiring 60 pitches to complete three innings, Fiers roared through the middle innings. “Today, he hit all three balls hard”, Greinke said of Altuve.

“I knew I had it”, Fiers said. It was the first no-hitter thrown by an individual pitcher against the Dodgers since Kent Mercker in 1994. “You still have to throw the ball over the plate, but at the same time, there’s a reason why they do it and they know they’re going to get in trouble for it and they still do it”. “I tried to expand a little bit, just hoping to get the strike zone”.

“I don’t want to take anything away from his night”, outfielder Carl Crawford said. “Finding ways to manufacture runs. That’s the way to do it, but you definitely need hits along the way”. Greinke retired 11 consecutive batters before Altuve once again turned the Dodgers’ game plan on its ear.

“He’s a big leaguer, man. This guy’s a really good pitcher”.

Kazmir (7-8) went six innings for the Astros, giving up the one run on six hits and a walk.

WASHINGTON – Jonathan Lucroy had three hits and scored twice, and Milwaukee broke open the game with five runs in the seventh inning to beat Washington.

Relievers Will Harris and Pat Neshek each pitched a ideal inning and Luke Gregerson worked the ninth for his 24th save. Altuve scored twice. Houston continued its torrid play at home, extending its streak to 12 series either won (10) or split (two). Probably try to work him in to see how comfortable he would be at third to give (Justin Turner) a day off there after Howie’s back.

That offense will face rookie Lance McCullers, called up from Double-A Corpus Christi to make the start on Sunday.

Kang Jung-ho hit a pair of solo homers for the Pirates in the matchup of playoff contenders. Some good at-bats. Wrong game plan.

Hinch said he didn’t consider pulling Fiers as his pitch count mounted. Springer has been on the disabled list since July 2 with a right wrist fracture and resumed baseball activities August 14.

Joey Votto hit his 23rd homer in the eighth inning off of Keith Hessler for the Reds, who went into the game on the verge of falling into last place in the NL Central. The most no-hitters thrown in the modern era in one season is seven, last achieved in 2012.

In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Madison Bumgarner homered in his second straight start and struck out six in 6-1/3 innings to lift San Francisco over Pittsburgh.