SAN FRANCISCO — Oracle Park has never hosted a no-hitter by a Giants opponent since this bayside ballpark opened in 2000. That drought almost ended Wednesday against an ever-worsening home club with 34,023 paying witness.
The Toronto Bluejays' Dylan Cease carried his no-hit bid into the ninth inning before Heliot Ramos smacked a leadoff single to center, ending the only drama left in a 10-0, series-clinching win over the feeble Giants.
“Yeah it feels good for the boys that we didn’t get no-hit, but that loss was no fun today,” Ramos said.
Logan Webb, Cease’s counterpart and fellow All-Star, allowed the first grand slam of his Giants career — on Pitch No. 17,970 — as part of a five-run first inning, giving Cease room to work.
Cease was bidding for the Blue Jays’ first no-hitter since 1990 by Dave Stieb.
“The slider looked just like a fastball. It kind of looked like he had pine-tar on it — but I’m not saying he did and am throwing that out there,” Ramos said. “He is a pretty good pitcher and everybody knows it. He had it going on today.”
Since the Giants moved from Candlestick Park in 2000, the only previous no-hitters here came from their own pitchers: Jonathan Sanchez (2009), Matt Cain (2012; perfect game) and Tim Lincecum (2014).
First-year manager Tony Vitello acknowledged that the Giants reached a low point this season on Wednesday, falling 16 games under .500 (38-54) for the first time. They fell to 5-11 in Webb’s starts.
The Blue Jays, outlasted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in last year’s seven-game World Series, improved to 44-49.
A strong contingent of blue-clad Toronto fans, especially behind the first-base dugout, rose to applaud as Cease came out to pitch the ninth and final frame. But on his career-high 118th pitch, Cease delivered a 96.8-mph sinker that Ramos volleyed back for the Giants’ lone hit.
Former Giant Tyler Rogers relieved Cease (6-4, 2.56 ERA) and promptly retired Luis Arraez, Casey Schmitt and Rafael Devers on just four pitches combined.
Bryce Eldridge, as the Giants’ leadoff hitter in the eighth, nearly ended Cease’s no-hit and shutout bid with one swing, only for his 396-foot blast to get nabbed at the center field wall by Daulton Varsho. “Hit high … hit deep … and Varsho makes the catch!” Duane Kuiper called Eldridge’s blast on NBC Sports Bay Area’s broadcast.
Said Ramos: “That’s one of those catches that (happen) when somebody’s throwing a no-hitter. They make that catch and it’s like the only chance we had, and we can’t catch a break.”
Cease then struck out the next two batters – Drew Gilbert and Drew Cavanaugh – to exit the eighth with 11 overall strikeouts through 115 pitches. That was one more pitch than Cease needed in his first career no-hitter, two years ago for the San Diego Padres at Washington.
The Blue Jays’ Kazuma Okamoto, a 30-year-old MLB rookie, victimized Webb (5-7) for the first-inning grand slam, slamming a 91.8-mph cutter off the right-field arcade’s metal facing, a call that was confirmed upon replay review.
It was Okamoto’s 21st home run this season and, not only was it his first grand slam, it was the first among 82 home runs surrendered in Webb’s eight-year career.
He’d allowed five home runs through his first 90 innings this season, but Okamoto’s made it three over Webb’s past four innings, including two home runs in last Friday’s loss at Colorado in which he lasted just three innings and matched a career-high with seven run and 11 hits.
Cease had a perfect game going through 4 2/3 innings until Willy Adames worked a full-count walk. Gilbert drew a leadoff walk in the sixth upon winning an ABS-video challenge, and Devers had a one-out walk in the seventh before Adames’ near-single.
Adames nearly got the Giants’ first hit on a two-out grounder up the middle in the seventh, only for second baseman Ernie Clement to cut it off and throw out Adames.
Webb opened by allowing soft singles to the first two hitters he faced. After a one-out walk to George Springer, Varsho’s RBI single dropped in front of sliding right fielder Jung Hoo Lee. “Some balls fell. I have to minimize it in the first and at least keep us in the game,” said Webb, who fell to 0-4 lifeatime against the Blue Jays with a career-high 8.22 ERA.
After a mound visit by pitching coach Justin Meccage, Webb started Okamoto off with a ball before the next pitch ricocheted off the right-field facing.
Webb, after that first-inning flurry, retired the next 11 batters he faced and just one hit over the next six innings. That hit was a full-count, two-out single by Nathan Lukes in the fifth. Vlad Guerrero followed with a grounder to shortstop Adames, whose wide throw resulted in his 13th error this season.
Spencer Bivens replaced Webb in the eighth and nearly escaped a bases-loaded jam, but first baseman Devers’ second error of the game cost the Giants an inning-ending double play. It also resulted in a Blue Jays run, then Adames’ late throw allowed an RBI, infield single by Andrés Giménez for a 7-0 deficit.
The Blue Jays’ batters weren’t done. Ryan Walker allowed a leadoff walk in the ninth, then back-to-back home runs to center field for a 10-0 lead.
Beset by pitching woes most of this season’s first half, the Giants did not list a starter for Thursday’s 6:45 p.m. series opener against Colorado, but Carson Whisenhunt figures to get promoted from Triple-A for what would be his second start this season. The Giants’ probable starters afterward remain Robbie Ray, Tyler Mahle and Trevor McDonald; McDonald allowed 11 hits and eight runs in 2 1/3 innings in Tuesday night’s 9-3 loss.
The Giants did make a roster swap before Wednesday’s first pitch: Outfielder and pinch-runner Jonah Cox went on the 10-day IL because of a left oblique strain; outfielder/catcher Jesus Rodriguez was recalled from Triple-A.