Kris Bubic's no-hit bid ruined by controversial scoring change
- Kris Bubic pitched seven scoreless innings while the Royals faced the Giants in San Francisco.
- Bubic's no-hit bid ended due to an official scoring change that reclassified an error as a single.
- The Royals won the game 3-1, securing an important victory bolstered by Vinnie Pasquantino's late home run.
On May 19, 2025, in San Francisco, Kris Bubic of the Kansas City Royals had a stellar performance on the mound, pitching seven scoreless innings against the San Francisco Giants. He entered the sixth inning leading a no-hit bid, having initially held the Giants without a hit. However, this streak came to an unfortunate end when official scorer Michael Duca overturned a previous error ruling against Royals second baseman Michael Massey, changing it to a single for Wilmer Flores. This scoring adjustment occurred just before the start of the seventh inning, leading to confusion and disappointment for Bubic and his team. During the game, Bubic showcased his talent by striking out five batters and walking three, eventually allowing only two hits throughout his outing. The first hit was the single from Flores in the sixth, followed by a one-out double by Casey Schmitt in the seventh. Despite his impressive performance, the controversy surrounding the scoring change overshadowed what could have been a highlight moment for the young pitcher. At the same time, Giants pitcher Robbie Ray also delivered a strong performance, allowing no runs in his seven innings pitched. In the eighth inning, the game remained scoreless until Vinnie Pasquantino of the Royals broke the deadlock with a clutch two-run homer. The homer, his eighth of the season, followed a one-out double from Jonathan India, giving the Royals a crucial lead. The Giants did respond with a run in the bottom of the eighth, attributed to Jung Hoo Lee's RBI double, but the Royals added an insurance run in the ninth with an RBI single from Kyle Isbel. The game concluded with Carlos Estévez earning his 14th save after pitching a scoreless ninth inning. This victory was essential for the Royals, not only securing a win but also allowing them to start a potential turnaround in their season as Bubic’s outstanding performance and Pasquantino’s impactful hit could boost team morale. The official scoring change called into question the accuracy of play judgments during games and raised discussions among fans and analysts about the integrity and consistency of scoring decisions in Major League Baseball.