ATLANTA (AP) — Ian Anderson had pitched five no-hit innings when Brian Snitker walked up to the 23-year-old and said, “That's it.”
“Are you sure? Are you sure?” the rookie right-hander asked.
“I'm going with my gut right here,” the manager said.
On a night that showed how much baseball has evolved in the Analytics Age, Anderson and the Braves' bullpen took a no-hit bid into the eighth inning, Austin Riley and Travis d’Arnaud drove in runs and Atlanta beat the Houston Astros 2-0 on Friday to grab a 2-1 World Series lead.
Pinch-hitter Aledmys Díaz blooped a single leading off the eighth against Tyler Matzek that dropped in front of Eddie Rosario, just 232 feet from home plate, for Houston’s first hit as the left fielder pulled up to avoid colliding with shortstop Dansby Swanson.