Pike combines with bullpen for Class A no-hitter

Left-hander Tyler Pike, the Mariners' No. 9 prospect, combined with two relievers for a no-hitter Wednesday as Class A Advanced High Desert defeated Rancho Cucamonga, 5-0. It was the second no-hitter in franchise history.

Pike began the game with six hitless innings before manager Eddie Menchaca turned the game over to his bullpen. Right-hander Mark Bordonaro threw two innings and right-hander Blake Hauser pitched the ninth to complete the no-hitter.

The game was scoreless until the eighth inning when the Mavericks scored five runs against the Quakes bullpen. Luis Caballero opened the scoring with an RBI triple before D.J. Peterson, the Mariners' No. 2 prospect, followed with his 10th home run of the season. High Desert tacked on insurance runs when Jordy Lara hit a two-run homer of his own.

Peterson, ranked No. 75 on MLBPipeline.com's Top 100 Prospects list, finished the game 3-for-4 with two RBIs. He is hitting .286 and is tied for fifth in the California League with 10 home runs.

Pike matched his career high with eight strikeouts. His lone blemish was a pair of walks, one in the second inning and another in the sixth. He induced six groundball outs and didn't allow a runner to advance past first base.

In 11 starts this season, Pike is 2-2 with a 4.88 ERA. He has struck out 40 batters and walked 35 in 48 innings.

Pike was nearly matched by Rancho Cucamonga starter Tom Windle, the Dodgers' No. 7 prospect. The left-hander struck out seven batters in six scoreless innings. He scattered four hits and walked none.

The only other no-hitter in Mavericks' 24-year existance was Aug. 21, 2006, when they were a Royals affiliate. Patrick Green and Jarod Plummer combined for nine hitless innings at Inland Empire in a 2-0 victory.

Wednesday's no-hitter was perhaps more unlikely. Rancho Cucamonga had never been no-hit in franchise history and Heritage Stadium, High Desert's home ballpark, is typically known as a hitters' park.

But, at least for one night, Pike, Bordonaro and Hauser made it a pitcher's paradise.