Daniel Poncedeleon Hurls Seven No-Hit Innings In Big-League Debut

Daniel Poncedeleon made his big-league debut Monday night, 14 months after a comebacker hit him in the temple in a minor-league game and very nearly ended his career. And what a debut it was! Poncedeleon left the game after the seventh inning, having thrown 116 pitches without allowing a single hit. Just three harmless walks:

ESPN says Poncedeleon is the fifth pitcher since 1961 to carry a no-hitter through at least seven innings in his major league debut. The Cardinals lost the combined no-no in the eighth inning when Jordan Hicks allowed a crummy single, and lost the game in the ninth on a Eugenio Suarez solo homer and a walk-off RBI single from pinch hitter Dilson Herrera. So the Cardinals lost (good), but something very cool and memorable happened for the inspirational Cardinals rookie (also good). Truly a win-win result.