J.T. Ginn’s no-hit attempt falls short in the ninth inning, leading to a walk-off home run.

Heartbreak for JT Ginn in Final Inning

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Athletics pitcher JT Ginn found himself in a tense situation as he headed into the ninth inning with a no-hitter and a slim one-run lead on Monday night.

Just six pitches later, he walked off the mound with a crushing defeat.

In the bottom of the ninth, Adam Frazier kicked things off with a lead-off single, followed by Zach Neto’s two-run homer, tipping the scales in favor of the Los Angeles Angels, who secured a 2-1 victory and snapped a six-game losing streak.

“It’s definitely a tough game,” Ginn reflected. “You just have to keep your head up and push on. That’s how it goes. I mean, I go after the zone and embrace it.”

Frazier managed a short hit, placing the ball over the shortstop’s head, allowing a runner to reach third. Neto then capitalized on a 2-0 sinker, sending it deep into center field for his eighth home run of the season.

“It’s just one of those crazy games,” Ginn noted. “I was down 0-2 and threw a solid sinker, but he was ready for it and made a good swing. You’ve got to give him credit.”

Ginn (2-2) was on the brink of achieving the first no-hitter in MLB since Shota Imanaga, who teamed up with two Chicago Cubs relief pitchers to beat Pittsburgh 12-0 on September 4, 2024. The latest complete game no-hitter was pitched by Blake Snell of the San Francisco Giants against Cincinnati on August 2, 2024.

During the game, Ginn threw a career-high 105 pitches, with 64 finding the strike zone. He recorded 10 strikeouts in the sixth inning, along with one walk, and was hit by a pitch himself.

This right-hander from Mississippi State, who turns 27 on Wednesday, struck out his team in the seventh, setting a personal record with his tenth strikeout.

“JT was dominant all night. It’s a heart-wrenching way for him to lose,” said Athletics manager Mark Kossais. “He pitched possibly the best game of his MLB career. It’s tough to be on the brink of a no-hitter and then give up a couple of hits. I really thought he could get through that inning.”

Earlier, pinch hitter Lawrence Butler had given the Athletics a 1-0 lead with an RBI single in the ninth. But Angels relief pitcher Chase Silseth turned the tables, forcing slugger Nick Kurtz into a double play that wrapped up the inning.

This game marked Ginn’s 30th career start since his major league debut in August 2024.

“He did an incredible job keeping hitters off balance all night,” said Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers. “It’s disheartening to see it end like that in the ninth. Right now, it feels pretty awful. Baseball has a way of humbling you, and this one will probably linger for a while.”