In no-hitter, Angels found many ways to honor Tyler Skaggs

It’s been an emotional two weeks for the Angels following the tragic death of 27-year-old Tyler Skaggs on July 1. They returned to Angel Stadium for their first home game of the month on Friday and promptly tossed a jaw-dropping 13-0 no-hitter, led by the combined efforts of rookie ‘opener’ Taylor Cole and righty Félix Peña.

Prior to the game’s triumphant conclusion, however, the Angels paid special homage to the late pitcher. Skaggs’ mother, Debbie, delivered the ceremonial first pitch to Angels pitcher Andrew Heaney—throwing a picture-perfect strike down the middle that, as Cole put it, set the tone for the rest of the night.

“It all started with Debbie,” Cole told reporters after the game. “She threw it right down the middle … couldn’t have started it with a better pitch.”

The team also held a moment of silence for Skaggs and played a video tribute. Around the ballpark, evidence of Skaggs’ legacy was clear. Outside the entrance, fans left flowers, candles, caps, and team memorabilia in a makeshift memorial. On the field, Skaggs’ jersey hung in the dugout, and a portrait of the young pitcher and a large no. 45 patch—the same design as the one they’ll wear on all uniforms for the rest of the 2019 season—were painted on the center field fence. In the clubhouse, as they’ve done on the road, the Angels maintained Skaggs’ locker.

In the moments after Peña delivered his 81st pitch of the night, a 1-0 fastball that the Mariners’ Mallex Smith returned to second base for a game-ending groundout, the Angels rallied together to honor their teammate once more. They removed the no. 45 jerseys they had each donned at the start of the game and placed them on the mound.

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