ST. LOUIS – Miles Mikolas fell one strike short of a no-hitter for the St. Louis Cardinals against Pittsburgh when Cal Mitchell doubled with two outs in the ninth inning Tuesday night.
Mitchell drove a 2-2 curveball just over the head of Gold Glove center fielder Harrison Bader. The ball bounced on the warning track 383 feet from home plate and over the wall in straightaway center for a ground-rule double.
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The hit came on the 129th pitch from Mikolas, a career high. He was lifted right after that for Packy Naughton, who closed out a 9-1 victory over the Pirates in the second game of a doubleheader.
Mikolas struck out six and walked one. Pittsburgh got an unearned run in the fourth to make it 7-1 when Bryan Reynolds scored on Daniel Vogelbach's groundout.
Reynolds led off the inning and reached second base when left fielder Juan Yepez misplayed a fly ball for an error. Reynolds advanced to third on a groundout.
Cardinals second baseman Nolan Gorman made a diving stop in the fourth and an off-balance throw from the middle of the diamond in the sixth to prevent would-be hits.
Mikolas worked a 1-2-3 seventh with the help of a nice catch by Bader at the center-field fence on Jack Suwinski's drive. Pittsburgh also went down in order in the eighth.
The most recent no-hitter for the Cardinals was thrown by rookie Bud Smith in a 4-0 win over San Diego on Sept. 3, 2001.
Mikolas was trying for the third no-hitter in the majors this season. Tylor Megill and four New York Mets relievers combined for one on April 29 against Philadelphia. Los Angeles Angels rookie Reid Detmers tossed one against Tampa Bay on May 10.
St. Louis won the opener of the day-night doubleheader 3-1. Pittsburgh has lost nine straight.
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