David Hess throws 6 1/3 no-hit innings in win at Toronto

TORONTO - Last year the Orioles did not record a single win at Rogers Centre in Toronto. Tonight, right-hander David Hess made sure that would not happen this season as the Orioles beat the Blue Jays 6-5.

Showing the best fastball velocity we've seen in his brief major league career, Hess was rolling from the start. He retired the first nine batters on 28 pitches, throwing nine in the first, seven in the second and 12 in the third. He took a no-hitter into the seventh with a 6-0 lead at 74 pitches.

But manager Brandon Hyde pulled him after Brandon Drury's 104 mph line out to shortstop to start the last of the seventh. Hess would have to settle for a win and 6 1/3 no-hit innings.

Hyde and Hess smiled at each other as Hyde approached the mound. After a long chat the skipper put up his right arm and called for Pedro Araujo. A walk and two-run homer later, the shutout and potential combined no-hit bid were gone. Randal Grichuk's liner to left off Araujo got Toronto on the board in the runs and hits columns.

Over 82 pitches, Hess allowed no runs or hits, with one walk and a career-high eight strikeouts. He threw 50 strikes and has thrown 8 1/3 scoreless to start his 2019 season after throwing two innings on opening day.

Hess, who averaged 92.4 mph on his four-seam fastball last year, according to BrooksBaseball.net, averaged 93.8 mph tonight and topped out at 95.8, according to Statcast. He averaged 94.4 mph when he struck out the side after a leadoff walk to Billy McKinney in the fourth inning. McKinney was the only Blue Jay to reach off Hess. He retired the first nine to face him tonight, and the last 10.

The Orioles would not record the sixth no-hitter in team history. The last was July 13, 1991 versus Oakland and was a combined four-pitcher effort by Bob Milacki, Mike Flanagan, Mark Williamson and Greg Olson.

The Orioles, who went 0-10 at Rogers Centre last year, improved to 3-1 with three straight wins. The Blue Jays fall to 2-3.

The Orioles staked Hess to a 4-0 lead in the first inning. Jonathan Villar's two-run homer scored Dwight Smith Jr., who singled. Then the inning turned ugly for the Jays. The Orioles turned an error, two walks and a wild pitch on a strikeout into a 4-0 lead. Chris Davis drew a bases-loaded walk for his first RBI of 2019.

Trey Mancini's sac fly in the second made it a 5-0 lead, and he homered to center in the seventh. His second of the year and second in two days made it 6-0.

The only drama left after that was whether Hess would get a no-hitter or even be given the chance to try for it. He wasn't, and it's believed he topped out at the 60-pitch range in spring training.