Angels' Tyler Skaggs leaves no-hitter bid with injury

BALTIMORE -- For Tyler Skaggs, things were going about as well as they can Thursday night.

The young Los Angeles Angels left hander had a no-hitter going against the first-place Orioles, with six strikeouts and two walks in four and one-third innings. It was shaping up to be perhaps his best start of the season.

Then things turned sour. Skaggs said afterwards that against Delmon Young to start the fifth inning, he felt like he over-pronated his arm on a changeup he used to strike Young out. The pitcher will travel with the Angels to Tampa Bay and have an MRI Friday.

"My forearm, more like my flexor tendon completely tightened up on me," Skaggs said. "Couldn't really feel my fingers. Tried to pitch through it. Still got the strikeout on J.J. Hardy, but it was killing me."

After Hardy, facing Steve Pearce, Skaggs said he didn't really know where the ball was going. He walked Pearce. Caleb Joseph was next, and after one pitch to him, Skaggs called for the trainers.

In preliminary evaluations, the diagnosis is a forearm strain. Skaggs said doctors told him his ulnar collateral ligament is fine, and he has full range of motion.

At his locker, following a 4 hour, 33 minute affair that the Angels won 1-0 in 13 innings, Skaggs said he had the feeling back in his fingers.

Angels manager Mike Scioscia said he doesn't know yet about a possible move to the disabled list for Skaggs.

"You're always concerned, although we're going to wait and get direction from our medical staff to see exactly what's going on there," Scioscia said. "Any pitcher that has something in their arm, whether it's forearm or up or shoulder, no doubt you're concerned and you want to be cautious with it.

Skaggs said he's never had any arm problems before. He had a stint on the disabled list in June for a strained right hamstring, but he's otherwise been fine.

"The funny thing is, I felt great today," Skaggs said. "I felt like it was one of the better games I've thrown all year. It's frustrating at the same time though."

Skaggs entered the day with a 4.49 ERA and 5-5 W-L record in 17 starts. He had pitched 108.1 innings.