New York Yankees Michael Pineda Done in by Martha Stewart
By David Hill
We all know the rule about never discussing a no hitter when one is in progress. Martha Stewart mentioning New York Yankees starter Michael Pineda‘s perfect game may have been the fatal blow to his chance at history.
Michael Pineda was in the zone earlier today against the Tampa Bay Rays. As the New York Yankees big righty was cruising through the lineup, he had set down the first 18 batters he faced. He was just three innings away from immortality, with the Rays unable to make solid contact against him.
And then, Pineda was brought down by the bane of every pitcher throwing a no hitter – the curse of discussing the no-no. Only, instead of being done in by a teammate or the Yankees broadcast crew, he was done in by Martha Stewart. Yes, that Martha Stewart, who tweeted out an announcement that Pineda was nine outs from history.
It's top of the seventh here at yankee stadium and the Yankees are pitching a perfect game versus the Tampa rays
— Martha Stewart (@MarthaStewart) April 10, 2017
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Lightning did not strike immediately. Pineda was able to get the first two batters of the inning out before Evan Longoria doubled to left. The perfect game and the no hitter were over in one swing.
Pineda looked as though he was fighting back tears after that blow, but he rallied back, striking out Brad Miller to end the inning. Then, in the next inning, the shutout ended when Logan Morrison belted a homer with one out. After a groundout, Pineda exited, having pitched a stellar game.
And yet, one could tell he was not satisfied. He made just two mistakes, and both were costly. History was there for the taking, but the baseball gods just would not let it happen. Perhaps, this was because of Stewart’s faux pas, as she cursed Pineda to lose his groove, and to keep history away from the Bronx.
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Michael Pineda was seven outs away from a perfect game. Perhaps Martha Stewart, with a seemingly innocent tweet, jinxed the New York Yankees starter, causing his chase of perfection to come to a halt.