Athletics pitcher J.T. Ginn loses no-hitter in 9th inning, then loses 2-1 to the Angels

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Athletics starter J.T. Ginn took a no-hitter and a one-run lead into the ninth inning Monday night.

Six pitches later, he walked off the mound with a heartbreaking loss.

Adam Frazier lined a leadoff single in the bottom of the ninth and Zach Neto followed with a two-run homer that gave the Los Angeles Angels a 2-1 victory, stunning Ginn and the A’s while snapping a six-game skid.

“Obviously a tough game," Ginn said. "Just keep your head up and keep moving forward. It’s just the nature of the game that we play. I attack the zone and I live with that.”

Frazier lined an 0-2 pitch over shortstop for a clean single, giving Los Angeles only its third baserunner. Neto then drove a 2-0 sinker to center field for his eighth home run of the season.

“Just a crazy game to play," Ginn said. "I fell behind 2-0, threw a good sinker, and he was waiting on it and put a good swing on it. So, tip your cap to him.”

Ginn (2-2) was trying for the first no-hitter in the majors since Shota Imanaga combined with two Chicago Cubs relievers for a 12-0 win over Pittsburgh on Sept. 4, 2024. The previous pitcher to throw a complete-game no-hitter was Blake Snell for the San Francisco Giants against Cincinnati on Aug. 2, 2024.

The most recent A's no-hitter was thrown by Mike Fiers in May 2019 against Cincinnati.

Ginn threw a career-high 105 pitches, 64 for strikes. He struck out 10, walked one and hit Neto with a pitch in the sixth.

The right-hander from Mississippi, who turns 27 on Wednesday, fanned all three batters in the seventh to give him 10 strikeouts — setting a career high. But he became the sixth major league pitcher since at least 1974 to allow no hits or runs in the first eight innings of a game and still take the loss. Rich Hill was the previous one, for the Los Angeles Dodgers against Pittsburgh in August 2017.

“J.T. dominated all night. For him to walk off the mound with a loss there, it hurts, obviously,” Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said. "He pitched probably the best game he’s pitched in his big league career, and to have an opportunity to get a no-hitter, and two hits later you walk off with a loss, it’s tough. I had full confidence in him going out there in that inning at 100 pitches and trying to get it done. It just didn’t work out.”

Kotsay had lefty Hogan Harris warming up in the bullpen during the ninth inning and planned to bring him in to face Mike Trout, who was on deck when the game ended. Kotsay hoped Ginn, whose sinker had been effective all night, could induce a groundball from Neto.

“Hindsight’s always 20-20,” Kotsay said. “It easily could have went the other direction.”

Pinch-hitter Lawrence Butler put the A's ahead 1-0 with an RBI single in the top of the ninth. The A's then loaded the bases before Angels reliever Chase Silseth got slugger Nick Kurtz to ground into an inning-ending double play.

“Kurtz doesn’t hit the ball on the ground a ton and they get out of that inning and momentum shifted a little bit,” Kotsay said. "It would have been nice to add on in that inning and give (Ginn) a little more cushion.”

It was the 30th career start for Ginn, who made his major league debut in August 2024.

“He did such a phenomenal job all night keeping guys off balance. His stuff was nasty. Just kind of rolling, you know, and then it’s gut-wrenching stuff in the ninth for it to end that way. It definitely sucks right now," Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers said. "Baseball will humble you in all sorts of ways. ... It’s going to be hard to flush this one.”

The Angels haven't been no-hit since Sept. 11, 1999 — the longest active streak in the majors. In that game, they lost 7-0 at Minnesota, shut down by Twins pitcher Eric Milton.

The last visiting pitcher to throw a no-hitter against the Angels in Anaheim was Rangers right-hander and Hall of Famer Burt Blyleven on Sept. 22, 1977, in a 6-0 Texas triumph.

The last A’s starting pitcher to lose a no-hitter in the ninth inning was Vida Blue against Detroit in 1976.

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Los Angeles Angels' Zach Neto (9) is greeted by teammates after hitting a walk0ff home run during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Athletics, Monday, May 18, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)

Los Angeles Angels' Zach Neto (9) reacts after hitting a walkoff home run during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Athletics, Monday, May 18, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)

Los Angeles Angels' Zach Neto is douced after hitting a walkoff home run during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Athletics, Monday, May 18, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)

Athletics' Tyler Soderstrom reacts during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Monday, May 18, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)

Athletics pitcher J.T. Ginn delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Monday, May 18, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani faced teammate Will Smith in live batting practice on Saturday, but there's no definitive timeline for the two-way superstar to return to pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Wearing long sleeves, Ohtani threw 30 pitches under a blazing sun in 93-degree (34 Celsius) heat and ended the session by giving a thumbs-up.

Among those looking on were pitching coach Mark Prior and president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, fellow MVPs Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, and some of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

“We're getting there,” manager Dave Roberts said afterward. “If it were up to Shohei, he'd be in a game in a few days.”

Ohtani hasn't pitched in a game since July 3 because of lingering soreness in his left knee, which is his landing leg while pitching.

“I'd like to think the knee thing is behind us,” Roberts said.

Ohtani is likely to throw another live session next week. Once he returns to the rotation, Roberts said he'll be limited to one, two or three innings as part of a slow buildup.

“The lives are good because you’re actually facing hitters and you can see the mechanics and how they play,” the manager said.

The goal is for Ohtani to be able to make full-length starts once the Dodgers begin their quest for a third consecutive World Series championship in October.

“I could sit here and say, ‘Yeah, six innings when we start the postseason,’” Roberts said, “but he’s still got to do the work and get there, and he’s got to pass some tests and markers. That’s probably the goal, but we still got a ways to get there.”

Meanwhile, Tyler Glasnow will rejoin the rotation and is expected to start Tuesday in Atlanta. It'll be the right-hander's first start since May 6, before he was sidelined with lower back spasms and went on the 60-day IL.

Glasnow will rejoin a rotation of Tarik Skubal, Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki.

Roberts said Justin Wrobleski is expected to move to the bullpen when the injured starters return.

Closer Edwin Díaz played catch Friday while on the 15-day IL with neck inflammation. He's using the time to rest mechanically after struggling with injuries in his first season with the team.

Roberts indicated Díaz won't be rushed back into the closer's role.

“It's more of getting him back healthy and then putting him in some softer landing situations to get the confidence, to get the feel and the trust of executing pitches,” he said, “and then at that point in time we’ll go from there.”

All-Star outfielder Andy Pages went on the injured list Saturday with a left hand fracture after getting hit by a pitch from Pirates starter Bubba Chandler a night earlier.

“I think they’re probably leaning toward some type of surgery,” Roberts said. “Four weeks is the floor for him to be back with us. Like I told him in the X-ray room, the season’s not over for him and we expect him back full health.”

The team recalled outfielder Alek Thomas from Triple-A Oklahoma City. Thomas was traded to the Dodgers in mid-May from the Arizona Diamondbacks. He'll play center against right-handed pitchers, while Tommy Edman and Kiké Hernández could see time against left-handers.

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani warms up with a trainer prior to a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Friday, Aug. 21, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani warms up with a trainer prior to a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Friday, Aug. 21, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)