Major League Baseball Orioles pitcher Shintaro Fujinami pitched a relief pitch in the ninth inning against the Rays on the 17th and held the team scoreless for two-thirds of an inning, earning the team a bye and a place in the playoffs.
Fujinami took the mound as the fifth pitcher in the ninth inning of a 2-3 lead against the Rays in Baltimore.
He held the first batter to a strikeout, hit a two-base hit to the next batter, gave the third a foreball, and then pinch-hit for a one-out first base third base with a stolen base.
Fujinami pitched no runs after being replaced by the next pitcher after the fourth pitcher was held back, and he threw two-thirds of an inning of the game, allowing one hit, one strikeout, and one foreball.
Fujinami has allowed no runs in all seven of his appearances this month and has a 1.9 ERA this season.
The Orioles, who lead the American League East, won 5-3 in the 4th inning to clinch their first playoff berth in seven years.
Nootvar 4-for-<> no-hitter
Cardinals player Lars Nootvar started the game against the Phillies in St. Louis at No. 1 and fell on a short liner in the first at-bat, a left fly in the second, a light fly in the third, and a second pitch in the fourth.
In this game, he was at bat as the first batter in the third inning, but his four-hit no-hitter gave him a 1-for-2 batting average, and the Cardinals won the game 3-4.
Masanao Yoshida appeared as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning and struck out.
Masanao Yoshida of the Red Sox entered the game as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning of a 1-2 lead against the Blue Jays in Toronto, the home of the Red Sox, but fell on a strikeout.
His batting average was 9-for-2 with five walks, and the Red Sox lost their fourth straight game with a 8-5 bye.