Red Sox's Sonny Gray earns 2,000th MLB strikeout, stifles Yankees, loses no-hit bid

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Red Sox's Sonny Gray earns 2,000th MLB strikeout, stifles Yankees, loses no-hit bid originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

With a career strikeout milestone clinched, Boston Red Sox pitcher Sonny Gray continued concentrating Sunday on keeping the rival New York Yankees hitless at Fenway Park.

Through seven innings, the three-time All-Star struck out eight and walked one. Expectations rose. Gray opened the eighth inning by striking out Spencer Jones, capping the at-bat with an 86-mph sweeper. It proved to be his 2,000th career strikeout.

The celebration didn't last long, however. The 36-year-old's no-hit bid ended when the next batter, Amed Rosario, singled to center field, four outs shy of creating history.

Gray's effort was the longest no-hit bid by a Red Sox pitcher versus the Yankees since Bob Ojeda in 1981.

Red Sox's Sonny Gray received help during no-hit bid​

Gray was aided by elite defense Sunday.

In the third inning, Red Sox right fielder Wilyer Abreu executed a third-inning sliding catch in shallow right field, robbing a hit from Yankees catcher Austin Wells.

Gray retired the opening 14 batters before Rosario induced a walk.

The Red Sox scored two runs in the fourth inning off Yankees starter Carlos Rondon. After Connor Wong and Anthony Seigler earned back-to-back walks, Caleb Durbin scored both on a single to center field.

Gray delivered a season-high 97 pitches. His previous high this season was 93, which he accomplished twice.

On a night where he nearly orchestrated the Red Sox's first no-hitter in 18 seasons and garnered his 2,000th career strikeout, one of Gray's most dramatic moments Sunday came when he whiffed Jazz Chisholm Jr. on an 81-mph curveball out of the strike zone. The Yankees' second baseman argued with umpire Adam Hamari, demanding that he checked his swing. He ended up getting ejected.

Here is a list of active MLB pitchers who have compiled at least 2,000 strikeouts:

• Gerrit Cole
• Yu Darvish
• Kevin Gausman
• Gray
• Chris Sale
• Max Scherzer
• Justin Verlander

Attempting to complete a four-game sweep of the Yankees, the Red Sox yielded two late runs as the Yankees (48-36) forced extra innings Sunday. Down 4-2 in the bottom of the 10th inning, the Red Sox (36-46) earned a 5-4 win on Durbin's second career walkoff hit.

The Red Sox entered Sunday 2-42 when trailing by two runs at any point in a game this season.

More MLB news:​

• Rangers OF Wyatt Langford's MLB progression stalled again by injury
• Mets' Bo Bichette still bothered by botched beginning
• Dodgers getting stronger, planning to activate Teoscar Hernández
• Dissed: Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler left out AL All-Star Game Phase 2 voting

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