The Los Angeles Angels had a game for the ages on Friday, as Taylor Cole and Felix Pena combined to pitch a no-hitter in memory of former teammate Tyler Skaggs. Skaggs tragically passed away in his hotel room on July 1st, and this game was one of the best “bigger than sports” moments in recent memory. The stars aligned in this game, as just about everything had some connection to Skaggs’ memory.
All Tyler Skaggs Related Moments in Los Angeles Angels No-Hitter
The Angels had plenty of planned tributes in place to honor Skaggs’ memory. Seeing as this was their first home game since his tragic death, every member of the team took the field wearing his number 45 jersey. Additionally, the Angels added an image of Skaggs to the center field wall, along with a numbered patch reading “In Memory of Skaggs”. To top it all off, the Angels had his mother, Debbie, throw out the first pitch. Debbie was joined on the mound by Skaggs’ wife, stepfather, and stepbrother.
In their first home game since Tyler Skaggs' passing, the @Angels pay tribute to their teammate and friend. ❤ pic.twitter.com/8PniYKPjEn
— MLB (@MLB) July 13, 2019
Once the game started, the Angels started honoring Skaggs’ memory with a performance for the ages. The no-hitter speaks for itself, but there were several moments throughout the game which have a connection to Skaggs and his jersey number. Superstar center fielder Mike Trout launched the first pitch he saw for a home run. Statcast had it measured at 454 feet, a distance which obviously correlates to Skaggs’ number. The Angels went on to win 13-0, with seven runs coming in the first inning. In yet another example that reality is stranger than fiction, 7/13 was also Skaggs’ birthday.
For Tyler. pic.twitter.com/R9g4fKjrhO
— MLB (@MLB) July 13, 2019
It gets crazier. One year ago to the day, the Angels beat the Mariners by a final score of 11-2 in Anaheim. The winning pitcher: Tyler Skaggs. As if that piece of history wasn’t enough, we still have more. The Angels had two pitchers combine to throw a no-hitter. The last time a California team threw a combined no-hitter was on July 13, 1991 – the very day Tyler Skaggs was born.
While the Angels may not have known there were this many connections to Skaggs, they knew they did something special. Following the game, the team took turns taking off their jerseys and arraying them around the mound. It was a perfect way to end one of the most memorable moments in the history of the game. Some things go beyond sports, and this is one of them. If you pitched this script to Hollywood, they’d reject it in a heartbeat. What LA did for their fallen teammate is nothing short of amazing, and this game will be remembered as one of baseball’s greatest moments.
For Tyler. pic.twitter.com/MczHyHQxu5
— MLB (@MLB) July 13, 2019
Edit: This was the Angels’ 11th no-hitter in MLB history. Tyler Skagg’s jersey number in high school: 11
