“It sucks.”
Rangers pitcher Colby Lewis’s response in his postgame interview on the field in Oakland Thursday was understandable. Lewis had just completed an impressive performance against the Athletics, allowing just two hits and one earned run over nine innings, improving his 2016 record to 6-0.
But a really good day was three outs away from amazing. The two hits Lewis allowed both came in the 9th inning, with Lewis just needing to emerge unscathed in the frame to complete the sixth no-hitter in Rangers franchise history.
A no-no would have been just the latest incredible moment in what has been an improbable turnaround for Lewis.
At 36-years old and a fastball that tops out in the low-90s, “dominant” is not the term that typically comes to mind when describing the right-hander. But after returning from two career-threatening surgical procedures – Tommy John surgery in 2012, followed by the resurfacing of his hip in 2013 – Lewis’s ability to stack solid performances in 2016 has been remarkable.
It has also been historical. His 6-0 record through 14 starts this season is a Rangers franchise record.
A no-hitter would have been a fantastic achievement for Colby Lewis. But the body of work he has produced so far in 2016 has been just as impressive.
