Missoula trio combines to no-hit Helena

Miles Reagan, Jesse Orosco and Bryan Shaw just began their professional careers. It took them two weeks to make history together.

The trio combined on the third no-hitter in Missoula Osprey history Monday, a 1-0 win over the Helena Brewers at Kindrick Field.

Reagan threw the first four frames and Orosco tossed three perfect innings before Shaw pitched the final two innings for his first save. When it was over, the young hurlers were a little more than excited.

"This is one of the biggest things to ever happen to me," said Reagan, a seventh-round pick of the Arizona Diamondbacks out of El Capitan High School (Calif.) in the 2008 Draft.

"It feels great," added Orosco (1-0), son of former Major Leaguer Jesse Orosco. "It's the best game I've ever pitched in and my first pro game with a shutout."

Shaw was equally as excited, but claimed he was unaware of the feat as it was taking place.

"It's great," the 20-year-old right-hander said. "The last time we were here we had a shutout, but I gave up a home run in the ninth inning. I honestly didn't even realize it was a no-hitter until the game ended and I looked at the scoreboard."

Orosco was fully aware of the no-hit bid, however, and had some words of encouragement for Shaw when he passed him in the dugout.

"I saw it early on and thought, 'Wow, this is awesome.' I wasn't paying attention to it when I came into the game, but after the seventh when they still had no hits I just said to Bryan, 'Hey, keep it going.'"

Shaw did just that and the trio joined Osbek Castillo and Hector Ambriz -- who combined to no-hit Casper on Aug. 20, 2006 -- as the only pitchers in Missoula history to have pitched in nine-inning no-hitters. Gabriel Mercedes and Roberto Medina hurled 7 1/3 hitless innings against Billings on July 27, 2001 before the game was called by rain.

"I looked at Miles in the dugout and thought, 'That didn't just happen.' We got our butts kicked a few times earlier this season, but this was amazing," said Orosco, who said his dad, who recorded the final out of the New York Mets 1986 World Series Championship, was intently listening to the game.

"I talked to him briefly. He just said, 'Wow' and he was listening to every pitch. He said it was awesome."

Pitching coach Steve Merriman will have to make good on a deal he made with his pitchers, which was to take them out to dinner and allow them to take batting practice after a shutout.

"It'll be a fun bus ride home, and we'll get ourselves a steak dinner," Reagan said. "The three of us are all from California and we live in the same house, so this was great."

Winston Linton, who went 2-for-4, singled and scored on Ryne White's double in the first for the Osprey (4-10).

Brewers starter Brandon Ritchie (0-1) allowed one run on six hits while striking out four and walking two over 5 2/3 innings for the Brewers (6-8).