Shelby Miller came an out away from being the first pitcher to throw a no-hitter since Jordan Zimmerman did it last year with the Washington Nationals, but the Braves ace had his bid broken up by Justin Bour in the ninth inning Sunday.
Miller cruised through the first 8.2 innings he pitched, surrendering only a walk to lead off the second that was erased by a double play. He sat down every other batter he faced until encountering Bour with two outs in the 9th.
Miller, still throwing fire at that point, put a first-pitch 95 mph fastball down the middle and Bour drove it up the middle for a solid single. Dee Gordon followed with an infield single before Miller got Jace Peterson to complete the two-hit shutout.
“Was trying to execute good pitches and just left that last one down the middle,” Miller said after the game.
Miller said they stuck to mostly fastballs and cutters, and he credited catcher A.J. Pierzynski with calling a good game.
Miller’s final line was: 9 IP, 2 hits, 0 runs, 1 BB and 4 Ks. He is now 5-1 with a 1.33 ERA.
