Some believe that when a pitcher is throwing a perfect game, it risks a jinx to talk about it. But perhaps even more common than superstitious no-hitter rites, are concerns about pulling a starter when they’re in rhythm.
Boston College baseball pitcher A.J. Colarusso did have a perfect game going. But that didn’t last too long, as he walked Daniel Cuvet, the twelfth batter he faced.
Colarusso, however, remained unphased and retired the next batter on two pitches to end the inning.
Colarusso was posting a no-hitter until two bunt singles and a walk loaded the bases in the fifth. But even then, Colarusso escaped the inning with only one run allowed.
After recording two outs in the eighth, it seemed as if BC head coach Todd Interdonato was walking out to pull Colarusso. Interdonato, though, was just taking a mound visit—one he says he regrets.
“I regret that, now,” he said. “I wrote down to myself ‘If I was going to leave him, I should have just left him.’”
Colarusso was set to face Cuvet again. This time, Cuvet broke the 1–1 tie, cracking a line drive into the right-center field gap and driving in the go-ahead run for the Hurricanes.
“I felt like maybe by going out and trying to calm him down, I actually did the opposite,” Interdonato said. “I actually made him a little more emotional… then he’s missing high arm-side. I regret going out and taking that [mound] visit, to tell you the truth.”
Miami (25–18,10–9 Atlantic Coast) only needed that one run to leave with the win. Carson Fisher and Brian Walters shut down the Eagles (21–21, 9–13 Atlantic Coast), too, only allowing one hit across the final three innings.
Colarusso was up to 92 pitches before the eighth, but he still had a feel for his pitches.
“I had a conversation with Gunnar [Johnson] about his stuff,” Interdonato said. “When he came back in, I just asked Gunnar how his stuff was. Gunnar said his stuff was still good, which I thought it was.”
Colarusso was still posting a no-hitter after Cuvet’s fourth-inning walk, after all. But his no-hit bid came to close when BC left third base completely unguarded during the Eagles’ defensive shift on left-handed batter Bobby Marsh, who squared up and bunted into the empty space for a hit in the top of the fifth.
A walk and a drag bunt loaded the bases, and then Marsh scored on a fielder’s choice to give Miami its first lead.
BC also used bunts in the fifth. A sacrifice bunt from Sam McNulty moved two runners into scoring position, then a sacrifice fly from Esteban Garcia tied the game 1–1.
Josiah Ragsdale singled twice after BC tied it, but the Eagles’ bats fell silent and could not bring him home, eventually leading to the run deficit that cost them the game later on.
“I thought he threw his best start in the two years I’ve been here,” Interdonato said. “It’s just unfortunate he gave up the two-out double and gave up that run. It’s a shame that he got a loss on that, because he pitched really well.”
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