Bunt hit broke up no hitter - benches clear after game

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does bunting for a hit to break up a no hitter break one of the unwritten rules of baseball?

* Yes it does. How dare a batter not swing fully during a no hitter.
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* No it doesn't. A bunt hit scores the same as a line drive so get over yourself.
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* other
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Boris13c
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A bunt broke up a no-hitter last night. Is it the right baseball play?
In the unwritten rules of baseball, there is one that seems to never have a good answer: Can you bunt to break up a no-hitter? On one hand, you can understand the pitcher's feeling. He’s trying to etch his name into the annals of baseball history. He's been dealing all day and no one has been able to make solid contact with a swing all day, so a bunt -- a little squibber out in front of the plate -- is a type of cop out.

On the other, a bunt is a hit. It's just as legitimate as any other hit. And if a team is trying to win the game, wouldn't you want them to get on base any way possible?

Well, this question went from a philosophical debate to a very real one on Wednesday night. In the ninth inning of the Double-A Hartford Yard Goats-Trenton Thunder game, the Yard Goats were working on a combined no-no. Starting pitcher Rico Garcia had pitched six innings, with relievers Jordan Foley and Logan Cozart bridging the way to Ben Bowden in the ninth.

With one out, Trenton's Matt Lipka came to the plate.

Now, his options were: Swing for a hit, or ... bunt for a hit. Lipka chose the bunt. It rolled back to Bowden, giving the pitcher a chance to keep the no-hitter intact. He tried the glove flip and ... failed.

That would be the only hit the Thunder recorded that night, so, sure enough, when the game was over, there were some words exchanged on the field.

lots of words and jawing but no fight

so is bunting for a hit to break up a no hitter something to actually argue about? many people try to bunt for hits and fail, so just getting the bunt down doesn't mean it is a sure thing for a hit

as long as bunting for a hit is a legal thing to do, I see nothing wrong with doing so when the opportunity is there
"Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things."
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southdakbearfan
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I would say it all depends. If it’s a hitter that bunt hits quite a bit and a close game it’s fair play. If it’s 10-0 and a guy that typically does not bunt it’s bush league. I also think that because the game was in multiple relievers hand and not a starter still in going for it that factors in as well.
Richie
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Seeing as it was a combined no-hitter and featured 3 pitchers. It can't be ruled out that it simply wasn't on this hitter's mind.

If it's close in a late game? Then it's fair, IMO. If his team was down by a bunch of runs and he knew there was a no-hitter? That's shit... total bush.
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UOK
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It was bottom 9, 1 out, 3 run deficit. If the guy thought he could get on base (which he clearly was fast enough to) and be a possible run to help his team in a still-winnable game.

If the team playing behind the pitcher had done their homework they'd know to be ready to play the bunt on this guy since he was a burner. They didn't, and it cost them.
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Otis Day
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"Unwritten rule." Baseball seems to have a bunch of that bullshit.

The bunt is a baseball play. Thee team down still had a chance to win the game. The "bunter" gets on, he can get the pitcher off his game. Maybe he steals 2nd, who knows, could be a rally starter.

The Bunt is a baseball play and IMO can be used at any time of the game. If the infield is playing back, why not bunt. F*CK the other team.
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The Marshall Plan
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I don't believe in laying down in sports like that within a game. Dumping for a draft choice, sure, but not this. At what point should the opposing team stop trying to win? If a bunt works, it works.
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