Tampa Bay Rays lose combined no-hitter against Kansas City in ninth

The Tampa Bay Rays lost a combined no-hitter in the ninth inning against the Kansas City Royals when Carter Jensen struck a two-run home run off Craig Kimbrel on Thursday.

Opener Casey Legumina pitched a flawless start to the game before Ian Seymour delivered a dominant strikeout performance.

The left-handed reliever struck out seven batters to carry the history-chasing effort deep into the contest.

The Florida-based outfit had built a commanding 13-0 advantage heading into the final frame, powered by a remarkable three-homer display from Junior Caminero.

Defensive brilliance falls just short

The pitching staff retired the first 16 batters they faced before Starling Marte drew a full-count walk in the sixth inning to end the perfect game bid.

Left fielder Chandler Simpson preserved the initial unblemished run with a spectacular running catch near the foul pole to deny Salvador Perez in the fifth.

The athletic outfielder also produced a crucial grab on a hard-hit line drive by Ian Collins to successfully navigate the eighth inning.

However, veteran closer Kimbrel walked Marte to open the ninth before Jensen launched a devastating drive over the outfield wall to ruin the milestone.

Historical context of the missed milestone

Matt Garza remains the only pitcher to throw a no-hitter for the American League East club, achieving the feat against the Detroit Tigers in July 2010.

The franchise has never recorded a perfect game throughout its entire existence.

A successful completion would have marked only the second no-hitter of the current major league season, following a combined effort by the Houston Astros in May.

Ironically, Kimbrel previously completed a combined no-hitter for the Chicago Cubs against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the 2021 campaign.