Orioles throw the first exhibition NO-Hitter in the 4-0 victory against pirates

Bradenton, Fla. – Riley Cooper had no idea.

A combined no-grille brewed today and rested in Coopers left hand when the orioles loan was selected for the lower end of the ninth inn.

A 13^TH-Round Draft Pick from the LSU in 2023. A low A-ball pitcher with 24 games with professional experience.

The pressure he felt was also surprisingly low.

“Pitching’s pitching,” he said, “so I just went in there and did my thing.”

The 23 -year -old Cooper was quiet at the beginning because he did not notice that the pirates did not score a goal against the first six pitchers – Starter Zach Eflin for three Innerings and Gregory Soto, Yennier Cano, Cionel Pérez, Bryan Baker and Roansy Contreras for one -tested.

“To be honest, I only knew shortly before I went in,” said Cooper, who has never been part of a no-hitter to this day. “I felt it a bit at first, but when I warmed up, I felt good.”

Cooper was not aware of whether he would be used today and selected by Pitching trainer to master the ninth time, not seen the scoreboard from the visiting Bullpen in Lecom Park. He didn’t score the game. He was not aware of it at that moment.

“Someone told me,” he said. “It was actually a fan like it shouted:” Keep the no-hitter. “I said,” Oh, let’s use it “, so I went in and just threw in.”

Today was the first no-hitter to be thrown in an exhibition game by the Orioles. It started with Eflin’s three goalless Innerings and four strikeouts in his tuning before the opening day in Toronto. Soto spent two walks with two walks, but escaped. Cano, Pérez and Baker drove on 28 parking spaces.

Manager Brandon Hyde said he noticed the run in the spring training story about the fifth or sixth inning.

“I think Bakers Inning,” said Hyde. “Soto has two quick outs and then a few walks. I was a little frustrated at that time.

Contreras threw 20 parking spaces into eighth place, and the Speedster Enrique Bradfield Jr. ran down Bryce Johnson’s flyball in the right field and led the Inning on the other, which the pirates came closest to ruin the fun.

The other close call occurred in the ninth when the floor ball by Leadoff -Schlagmann Aaron McKeithan’s floor ball was distracted by Cooper’s foot and rolled towards the second Baseman -Baseman Livan Soto.

“When I felt that my clamp was eliminated, I got a little nervous out there,” said Cooper, who had a 3.07 -eer in 24 games with the Delmarva Sears birds.

Jase Bowen ruled out a foul tip change, and Matt Gorski, who met three Homeruns against the Orioles this spring, struck a 93.3 miles per hour. Catcher Maverick Handley came out of his crouch and teammates shook hands.

That was it. No wild celebration. Only the final in a 4-0 win.

“I can’t remember someone else.” I thought we did a lot of really good things in the game. But yes, I have never seen spring training before-I don’t think so before.

“I think this is a good experience for all these boys to be part of something that is a little more than a game.”

The pirates began, the rookie of the year Paul Slene, who was Cooper’s teammate at the LSU when she won a national championship.

“After that, I will definitely give him a text,” said Cooper with a laugh.

“I got a little nervous halfway, the crowd went a little crazy,” he said. “But it was fun.”

“I found it a great experience for many people who were on the field,” said Hyde. “Everyone was aware of what was going on.”

Well, almost everyone.