Armenteros almost throws no-hitter ... again

In Rogelio Armenteros' last start, he carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning. On Saturday, he took it a step further.
The Astros' 26th-ranked prospect took a no-hit bid into the eighth and struck out eight as Triple-A Fresno blanked Tacoma, 1-0, at Chukchansi Park. 

"He's got a good demeanor out there, he's very confident right now," Grizzlies manager Tony DeFrancesco said. "His fastball command was exceptional and his changeup has been a knockout change. It comes out of his hand and he gets a ton of swings and misses with it. If he controls his changeup and his fastball, he's pretty tough to beat."
The Havana, Cuba, native ended up allowing one hit and one walk over a career-best eight innings. He was efficient throughout and induced 11 ground-ball outs against four flyouts. 
Gameday box score
Armenteros (7-1) struck out Ian Miller to start the game, then walked Andrew Aplin. The 23-year-old responded by inducing a double play to get back to the dugout. In the second inning, he settled in and began a run of six consecutive 1-2-3 frames. 
"He looks like a pitcher out there," DeFrancesco said. "He's in command and he's improved on his slider, and that's big because you need three pitches in the Major Leagues. He's come a long way."
The right-hander allowed his defense to go to work behind him and was aided by a terrific play by third baseman Jack Mayfield in the sixth. 
"They were putting them in play early and he was doing a good job of keeping the ball down. The defense made some great plays behind him. Mayfield made two great ones for us tonight," DeFrancesco said.

Armenteros stayed in his groove into the seventh, sandwiching two groundouts around another punchout and earning himself an opportunity to return to the mound in the eighth.
"He was on pace. If he got through that eighth inning, he probably had a shot at going the distance," the Grizzlies manager said. 
After Mike Marjama grounded out, Danny Muno jumped on Armenteros' first pitch singled through the left side to end a streak of 17 consecutive outs. 

"[Shortstop] Reid Brignac almost laid out and made a great play for him," DeFrancesco said. 
With the no-hit bid over, Armenteros settled right back into his rhythm and induced two groundouts to get through the eighth for the first time in his three-year career.
"That was his game. I was going to let him get through that inning," DeFrancesco said.
Armenteros started his season with 14 outings -- including 10 starts -- with Double-A Corpus Christi, where he produced a 1.93 ERA and 1.04 WHIP with 74 strikeouts over 65 1/3 innings. It's been more of the same since joining Fresno on July 2. In nine Pacific Coast League starts, he has a 2.03 ERA and 68 strikeouts over 53 1/3 innings. 
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"It's a very difficult transition for young pitchers. They kind of shy away from contact in this league because of the hitters' ballparks and the altitude. But Rogelio has been right on track and has gone after guys," DeFrancesco said. "He's been changing speeds real well and his changeup comes out like a fastball and kind of disappears."
Jumbo Díaz finished off the Grizzlies' seventh shutout of the season with a perfect ninth.
Rehabbing Astros All-Star Carlos Correa went 1-for-3 before being lifted in the sixth inning. Tony Kemp singled twice and scored the game's only run on A.J. Reed's double in the first.