MLB players react to Skaggs tribute, Angels' no-no
What took place at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Friday night will never be forgotten by those in and around the game of baseball: On the night they honored the memory of Tyler Skaggs, who tragically passed away on July 1, the Angels threw a combined no-hitter in a 13-0 victory over the Mariners.
MLB players, teams and others in the game took to Twitter to express their emotions after witnessing the feat, many using #45 for Skaggs' uniform number, which was the number every Angels player wore Friday before placing his jersey on the mound following the last out as a tribute.
Here are some reactions from around MLB to the emotional and memorable night.
Several Angels players tweeted about what they had just been a part of following the game. Shortstop Andrelton Simmons tweeted: "That wasn't coincidence #45."
Reliever Cam Bedrosian wrote: "Thank you Skiggs #45."
Reliever Noe Ramirez needed just one word to convey how this all felt, tweeting: "Surreal! #45 #werenasty."
Catcher Dustin Garneau was still trying to wrap his head around everything that had just transpired, posting: "Did that just happen? #45"
The Angels' team account had several tweets commemorating the special game, including a reference to both pitchers who combined for the no-no wearing a Skaggs jersey while making history: "45 and 45 combine for a no-hitter!"
The Angels' cross-town brethren in the National League, the Dodgers, were also among those tweeting about how moving Friday's game was. Closer Kenley Jansen tweeted: "Thinking of all of you @Angels. What a tribute. #45"
Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner's tweet after the combined no-hitter was simple and poignant: "#45"
Enrique Hernandez also chimed in, posting: "Wow! Goosebumps! #45"
Astros third baseman Alex Bregman had just one word to express his awe in the moment: "Amazing #45"
Nationals closer Sean Doolittle had one word, too, and it was the same as Bregman's in the first of a pair of tweets: "Amazing" and "Wow. What a beautiful tribute. #45"
Giants reliever Mark Melancon wrote of the beauty in the moment, tweeting: "A special night in baseball tonight! Things like that just don't happen randomly. #Believe #Faith #45"
Whether they called them chills or goosebumps, there was a lot of that going around Friday night. Brewers pitcher Jimmy Nelson posted: "Wow. That was cool. And while everyone is wearing 45. Chills."
The Astros' Tony Kemp echoed that sentiment, writing: "Chills. For #45"
D-backs catcher Carson Kelly was among those that had no words to describe what they had just seen, posting: "#45"
D-backs right-hander Taijuan Walker tweeted: "Goosebumps #45"
The Yankees' Tyler Wade tweeted: "Wow. That was incredible! #45"
Former pitcher Phil Hughes, a friend of Skaggs, tweeted a heart symbol followed by "lefty."
Several other teams both in MLB and MiLB tweeted in response to the Skaggs tribute and combined no-hitter, including the A's and Reno Aces (Triple-A affiliate of the D-backs).
"An emotional night in Anaheim. We feel it in Oakland. Our heart goes out to @Angels. We are all number 45 tonight," tweeted the Athletics.
And the Aces tweeted: "#45"