Hisashi Iwakuma’s gem finally ends AL no-hitter drought

“I’m truly happy”, Iwakuma said through an interpreter, according to The Komo News.

“I’m just glad it’s over”. His no-hitter was the fourth in the majors this season, and while Max Scherzer and Cole Hamels were two of the biggest stars in the game before their no-hitters, Chris Heston was a virtually unknown rookie making his 13th career start. He became only the second Japanese pitcher to throw a no-hitter (Hideo Nomo threw a pair). But a whiff would have extended Iwakuma, who was already at 112 pitches.

That ended the run of 12 straight no-hitters – 11 individual and one combined – thrown by National League pitchers.

Iwakuma then retired Manny Machado on a routine grounder to Seager before Gerardo Parra lofted a fly into left-center field that center fielder Austin Jackson ran down for the final out. Baltimore has been no-hit seven times.

“I said about three weeks ago the “Bear” was back and he’s only getting better”, McClendon said.

After looking crisp and sharp for the first eight innings, the Orioles tried to allow Seattle back into the game in the bottom of the ninth with a series of mistakes that led to that unearned run off Britton. Iwakuma escaped that jam with a two-out strikeout of Jimmy Paredes.

Iwakuma also walked Jonathan Schoop on a check-swing, full-count pitch to open the eighth inning.

Iwakuma took the mound for the ninth to a standing ovation from the home crowd taking in the rare weekday matinee. Seager tracked David Lough’s foul ball near the stands and made a nifty over-the-shoulder catch for the first out.

Incredibly, this was the first complete game Iwakuma has thrown on this side of the Pacific Ocean; he accomplished the feat 48 times over 11 seasons in Japan.

Feldman (5-5) missed 45 games earlier this season with a torn meniscus and had been winless in four starts since coming off the disabled list in July.

Iwakuma’s next start projects as Tuesday at Texas, although he could pitch Monday against the Rangers on normal rest.

After a weak showing last week where they got in six hits, the Mariners need to step it up. The Mariners scored on Jesus Montero’s two-out RBI single in the third inning against Rays starter Jeremy Hellickson. Seattle ranks sixth with 131 home runs.

Orioles: Catcher Matt Wieters was held out of the lineup a day after leaving the game with a mild hamstring strain.

The Boston Red Sox and the Seattle Mariners were both popular preseason picks to make a run at their respective division titles. They have exceeded their season average of 3.7 runs per game by averaging 4.9 during that stretch.

Montgomery, who’s never faced Boston, is 3-1 with a 3.06 ERA in six road starts. He told reporters that pitching to 40 was a goal, pointing to Red Sox reliever Koji Uehara and former Yankee pitcher Hiroki Kuroda, who is still pitching in Japan, as examples.