So Close! Oswalt Loses No-Hitter in Ninth, Wins 2-0

BOSTON--RHP Roy Oswalt was nearly perfect tonight against the Boston Red Sox. A clean single to right prevented the momentous feat.

Oswalt carried the no-hitter into the bottom of the ninth inning. He quickly got the first two outs, but former Kissimmee Cobra SS Julio Lugo used his wooden log (as is customary) to line a base hit to right field.

Boston's RHP Tim Wakefield used his knuckleball to baffle the Astros' offense for most of the game. A seventh inning home run by SS Miguel Tejada broke up a scoreless tie. In a performance that can only be described as Hatteberg-esque, Tejada was patient with the knuckler all night.

DH Jason Michaels drove in the other Houston run with a double off RHP Josh Beckett, who, to the surprise of the Fenway Park crowd, relieved Wakefield in the seventh.

Oswalt finished the game with an impressive, but not historic, final line: 9 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 10 K, 1 BB.

Game Notes

You DickBag!: Breaking one of the (maybe silly) unwritten rules of baseball, DickBag Dustin Pedroia attempted to spoil the no-hitter in the seventh inning with a bunt. He was easily thrown out and, subsequently, spit on by God.

Who is coming in?: The relief appearance by Josh Beckett was his first since his days with the Florida Marlins. He pitched 4 innings and allowed one run for Florida in Game 7 of the 2003 NLCS against the Chicago Cubs

Holy Doubles!: Both Jason Michaels and Miguel Tejada had two doubles in the game*. Which is totally amazing and never ever happens ever**.

*may not be true
**totally, totally true

~Sweeney, PMSinthemorning