A's prospects Dylan Covey and Frankie Montas, along with Marlins farmhand Drew Steckenrider, combined to throw the third no-hitter in Arizona Fall League history Tuesday as the Mesa Solar Sox beat the Surprise Saguaros, 1-0.
Covey, selected by the A's in the fourth round of the 2013 MLB Draft, tossed the first five innings and only allowed one runner on base with a walk in the bottom of the second inning. The 25-year-old right-hander struck out just one batter, letting his defense do the dirty work with 11 groundouts and two flyouts.
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With his nearly perfect five innings Tuesday, Covey lowered his ERA to 2.65 in four starts this fall. In 17 innings pitched, he's allowing a minuscule .210 opponent's batting average against him.
"I knew I hadn't given up any hits, but I knew I was only going five, so I knew it didn't matter," Covey said to MLB.com on his outing. "I was just trying to keep the ball down."
Montas, aquired at this season's trade deadline from the Dodgers in which Rich Hill and Josh Reddick headed to LA, entered in the sixth inning and continued his dominance in the AFL. The 6-foot-2, 255-pound right-hander walked two and struk out one in three innings pitched while continuing the no-hitter. Montas is yet to allow an earned run this fall.
In 11.1 innings pitched, Montas has only allowed four hits and no earned runs while striking out eight and walking two. He owns a 1-0 record.
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Miami's Steckenrider finished off the first AFL no-hitter since 2001 with a perfect ninth inning.
Montas was credited with his first win of the fall. The game was stuck at no runs apiece until the Solar Sox finally crossed home plate in the top of the ninth inning as Montas handed the ball over to Steckenrider.
"I didn't know until after I was done," Montas said about the no-hitter. "I just came in, tried to put zeros on the board and do my best.
"I feel like if you don't know, you don't put that much pressure on yourself."