Rangers’ Colby Lewis loses no-hitter in ninth inning in 5-1 win over the A’s

Colby Lewis of the Texas Rangers lost his no-hit bid against Oakland on a leadoff double in the ninth inning that glanced off the glove of rookie right fielder Nomar Mazara.

Max Muncy opened the ninth with a long drive to the corner Thursday. Mazara ran a long way, reached out his glove and ball went off his mitt and he smacked into the padded wall.

Mazara looked at his glove as he went to retrieve the ball. Earlier in the game, Mazara ran hard to make a catch to rob Muncy of extra bases.

See the most-read stories in Sports this hour »

Mazara looked at his glove as he retrieved the ball. Official scorer David Feldman immediately called the play a double, ending Lewis’ quest for Texas’ first no-hitter in 22 years.

Two batters later, Lewis (6-0) lost his shutout when left fielder Ryan Rua couldn’t make a diving catch on a blooper by Coco Crisp that went for an RBI double.

Lewis walked one and struck out four, matching the low-hit complete game of his career with his third two-hitter.

Last September, the 36-year-old Lewis also took a perfect game into the eighth against the A’s. Danny Valencia broke that up with a leadoff double.

The 36-year-old Lewis, who was born and grew up in Bakersfield, was aiming for Texas’ first no-hitter since Kenny Rogers threw a perfect game in 1994 and the second in the majors this season after Jake Arrieta did it for the Chicago Cubs in a 16-0 victory over Cincinnati on April 21.

Lewis was perfect until walking Yonder Alonso on four pitches with two outs in the eighth inning.

The A’s have not been no-hit since four Baltimore pitchers combined to do it in 1991. That’s the longest stretch any big league team has gone without being held hitless.

Lewis was barely threatened the first eight innings as he got the A’s to swing early in counts and only got to three balls three times in the first seven innings. He needed just 16 pitches through the fifth and sixth innings, retiring Muncy on a bunt attempt in the sixth.

His bid for perfection ended in the eighth when he walked Alonso on four straight pitches with two outs in the eighth. Rua then made a jumping catch on the warning track to get Lewis out of that inning.

Lewis flirted with a no-hitter late last season at home against the A’s, finishing with one of his three career two-hitters.

Daniel Mengden (0-2) allowed two runs — one earned and four hits in 6 1-3 innings of his second career start.

Mengden had retired 15 straight batters before Ian Desmond homered to right leading off the seventh to give Lewis a 1-0 lead. The Rangers added another run that inning and then broke it open with three in the eighth, including Adrian Beltre’s two-run double off Fernando Rodriguez.

ALSO

Hector Santiago makes the most of another opportunity

Royals part ways with Omar Infante, who is third in AL All-Star voting for second basemen

Jefry Marte plays catch-up in the outfield, where Angels need him because of injuries