Hunter Pence ruined Johnny Cueto’s chance at a no-hitter and he feels awful
By Mike Luciano
Hunter Pence feels awful after his goof ruined Johnny Cueto’s no-hitter.
The San Francisco Giants needed someone to step up after catcher and locker room leader Buster Posey opted out of the 2020 season, and starting pitcher Johnny Cueto is doing his best to answer the bell. He had his breaking ball working last night against the Los Angeles Dodgers, as he managed to no-hit the World Series favorites through five innings.
He lost the no-hitter when Hunter Pence lost sight of a Kike Hernandez fly ball, as he was in shallow left when the ball landed near the warning track. The mistake sparked a Dodger rally that ended with Cueto being charged for four earned runs. While Cueto did lose his no-hitter and quality start, the Giants did win the game 5-4 when it was all said and done.
Pence apologized profusely after the game, claiming that he feels “awful” after ruining Cueto’s chance at immortality.
Hunter Pence said he was sick to his stomach after misplay in left because he felt Cueto had something special going. "To spoil that feels awful," he said.
— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) August 9, 2020
Hunter Pence has really struggled in 2020
After playing seven seasons in San Francisco, winning two championships along the way, Pence signed with the Texas Rangers ahead of the 2019 season. Pence was named an All-Star due to his .297 average and 18 home runs in 83 games, and the vet returned to the Giants, but he has gotten off to a slow start in 2020. He has mustered just two hits in 32 at-bats, good for a .063 average. His defensive blunders certainly aren’t helping him get on a roll in 2020.
The fans over in San Francisco likely won’t hold this against Pence for long, if at all. Considering the multitude of good things he’s done in a Giants uniform, including saving a Tim Lincecum no-hitter in 2013, Giants fans will probably go easy on Pence after his one huge brain fart.
Feels like a good time to remember when Hunter Pence saved Lincecum’s no hitter in 2013 pic.twitter.com/2pBNwTDYKp
— jordyn volk (@jordynvolk) August 9, 2020
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Cueto didn’t get the no-hitter, but the Giants did take down the hated Dodgers, so the evening was far from a lost cause for Gabe Kapler’s squad.