Angels End Saberhagen’s No-Hit Bid in 8th : Baseball: Lyons breaks it up with his first American League hit, but the Royals win, 4-1.

Bret Saberhagen knew in the sixth inning Friday night that he could be headed for his second no-hitter in a month.

Saberhagen (13-8) was perfect through 6 2/3 innings and held the Angels hitless until Barry Lyons singled with one out in the eighth in the Kansas City Royals’ 4-1 victory.

“Once I got through the sixth and had nine outs to go, I knew I had a chance,” Saberhagen said. “You try not to let negative thoughts get in. Of course I thought I had a chance.”

Lyons, who made his American League debut with the Angels Thursday, was 0 for 9 with the Dodgers this year.

“I was trying to get the ball inside on his hands and I didn’t get it where I wanted,” Saberhagen said. “It was a mistake. He’s a big league ballplayer and that’s why he’s playing in the big leagues. When you make a mistake, he’s going to hit it. He hit it sharply to right.”

Saberhagen pitched his first no-hitter Aug. 26, beating the Chicago White Sox, 7-0. He was helped by an official scorer’s controversial call, which charged an error to left fielder Kirk Gibson after Dan Pasqua’s slicing drive to the warning track glanced off his glove.

Saberhagen was bidding to be the first pitcher to pitch two no-hitters in the same season since Nolan Ryan did it in 1973 with the Angels.

“I wouldn’t say I have the experience of a Nolan Ryan when it comes to no-hitters, but I have a good idea of what I want to do out there,” Saberhagen said.

Lyons said he would always remember the hit, particularly because Saberhagen made a gesture of congratulation to him as he stood on first base.

“It was my first American League hit and what a unique hit it was,” Lyons said. “That was a classy thing for him to do. A lot of guys would feel like cussing you out, but he really showed me something and I appreciated it. I’m glad it was a good clean hit.

“I had only seen him on television. I had no idea he threw so hard.”

Throwing mostly fastballs, Saberhagen lost his perfect game when he walked Junior Felix on a full count with two out in the seventh.

Saberhagen lost his shutout in the ninth when Luis Polonia singled, took second on catcher’s interference and scored on a single by Felix, the Angels’ fifth hit.

He left with one out in the ninth with two runners on after giving up four hits. Jeff Montgomery finished up for his 33rd save.

“He was losing it,” Manager Hal McRae said. “It was obvious he was getting the ball up. I thought it was time.”

Johnny Vander Meer, Allie Reynolds, Virgil Trucks and Ryan are the only pitchers with two no-hitters in a season. Jim Maloney was credited with two no-hitters in 1965, but one of them was taken away recently in a ruling by a baseball statistical committee.

Saberhagen is 3-0 in his last three starts with a 1.08 earned-run average.

The Angels came close to a hit only once before Lyons singled. In the sixth, Gary Disarcina hit a fly ball that right fielder Danny Tartabull caught near the foul pole after a long run.

Kansas City got all four of its runs in the fourth off Kirk McCaskill (10-19), who leads the majors in losses. Todd Benzinger hit a run-scoring single and Brent Mayne followed with a shot that hit off the wall near the left-field foul pole, skipped away from Ruben Amaro and went for an inside-the-park home run. Doubles by Sean Berry and Brian McRae drove in the fourth run.

The Angels have scored five runs in McCaskill’s last five starts.