HOUSTON (AP) — Bartolo Colon has lost his bid for a no-hitter against the World Series champion Houston Astros when Josh Reddick doubled with nobody out in the eighth inning.
The 44-year-old Colon was working on a perfect game for the Texas Rangers on Sunday night before walking Carlos Correa on a 3-1 pitch to start the eighth. Reddick then lined an 0-2 delivery down the right-field line, putting runners at second and third and prompting a standing ovation from opposing fans in Houston.
Two outs later, Colon was pulled with the score tied at 1.
The beefy Colon struck out seven. A fan favorite all around the majors, he is on his ninth team in the last 11 seasons.
Colon’s longest no-hit bid came with the Cleveland Indians on Sept. 18, 2000, when he held the New York Yankees hitless for 7 1/3 innings. Colon ended up with a one-hitter in a 2-0 win at Yankee Stadium.
Going into the eighth, Texas led 1-0 on a home run by Robinson Chirinos off Astros ace Justin Verlander in the third, the only hit of the game to that point.