Parker Messick is three outs away from first no-hitter of the season with the Guardians

Cleveland Guardians pitcher Parker Messick is three outs away from throwing the first no-hitter and no-run game of the 2026 season against the Orioles.

CLEVELAND — Parker Messick held a no-hitter into the ninth inning, Jose Ramirez homered for the third time in four games, and the Cleveland Guardians opened a seven-game home series with a 4-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday night.

Messick, 25, was aiming to complete the first no-hitter in the Major Leagues since Sept. 4, 2024, when Shota Imanaga and two Chicago Cubs relievers combined to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 12-0 at Wrigley Field.

In his 11th major league start, Messick (3-0) faced one more batter than the minimum over eight innings before Leody Taveras led off the ninth with a grounder that barely missed second baseman Juan Brito, who lunged for it, and into right field for a single.

Blaze Alexander followed with a line single to center field, at which point the rookie left-handed pitcher was removed from the game to a standing ovation from the crowd of 14,748.

Taylor Ward’s single off closer Cade Smith loaded the bases, and Gunnar Henderson’s sacrifice fly drove in Taveras’ run. Pete Alonso hit an RBI double that put runners on second and third base with one out on the board.

Smith later retired pinch-hitter Colton Cowser with a fly ball to center field and Samuel Basallo with a groundout, securing his fourth save of the season.

“I mean, it sucks, but that’s baseball,” Messick said. “Maybe it will happen to me one day, God willing. I’ll have many more years to pitch baseball games, so, you know, it could happen again, so my only thought is to refocus and get the next batter out.”

Messick walked two and tied his career high with nine strikeouts. He was charged with two runs in just over eight innings of work, the longest outing of his career in the Major Leagues. He threw a total of 112 pitches, 78 of them in the strike zone.

“What we had the opportunity to witness tonight was something truly special,” said Guardians manager Stephen Vogt. This was an incredibly talented lineup against which he managed to maintain a no-hitter into the ninth inning. “He just kept attacking, kept presenting them with different variations throughout the entire game.”