By the time word got around that Jeff Niemann was throwing a no-hitter through six innings, he had already allowed a sharp liner to Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Mike McCoy for the first hit of the evening. But the Tampa Bay Rays right-hander was lights-out anyway. He managed to come away with his third career shutout after surrendering just one more hit to designated hitter Adam Lind to lead of the seventh, and never let anyone past first base all night during the 9-0 victory.
Just ask Vernon Wells, whose 14-game hitting streak was squashed by Niemann on Tuesday:
He’s a tall young man. He’s deceptive. He can pitch. He didn’t make too many mistakes. When you’ve got that kind of stuff and you’re not making mistakes over the middle of the plate, you’re not going to give up many hits.
