Cust no-hits Quebec to send Alberta to T12 championship game

Alberta pitcher Brayden Cust continued his dominance throughout the T12 Tournament lowering his ERA to 1.00 after a one run (unearned) no-hit performance against Quebec in Monday’s semi-final. Photo Credit: Nikolas Marsiglio

By Ryan Cuneo

Canadian Baseball Network

TORONTO – Brayden Cust had no idea he was making history in the Toronto Blue Jays’ sponsored Tournament 12, until he looked up at the scoreboard at the start of the final inning.

The Team Alberta right-hander, from Cold Lake, threw the third individual no-hitter in the event’s six-year history to earn a 2-1 victory over Team Quebec in a semi-final match-up Monday afternoon at the Rogers Centre.

“I didn’t really know until I hopped into the seventh,” he said, surrounded by happy teammates after the game. “And then I looked up and saw the no hits and I just said to continue to do my thing.”

The first T12 no-hitter dates back to the first season of the tournament, one that brings the top undrafted young players from across the country together for a scouting showcase.

Andrew Case, of St. John, N.B., turned the trick in 2013. He signed as a non-drafted free agent a few weeks later, and was a member of the double-A Eastern League champion New Hampshire Fisher Cats this season.

Mathieu Deneault-Gauthier, of Team Quebec, threw a no-no in 2015. The Candiac native is heading into his junior year with North Carolina State.

And there was a combined no-hitter in 2017 by Caden Griffin and Brandon Deans of Ontario.

Monday’s game was a closely contested pitcher’s duel, with Cust and his counterpart Christopher Pouliot both untouched until the Quebec hurler was pulled after four-plus innings.

“I worked a lot with my fastball,” said Pouliot. “My curveball was so-so but I was spotting my fastball well.”

Righty Viktor Bergeron, who came on in relief of Pouliot, immediately gave up a single to shortstop Michael Brisson, but was able to strand runners on second and third and escape the inning unscathed.

Bergeron put himself in another sticky situation in the top of the sixth.

After allowing two walks and a single to load the bases, he gave a pass to right fielder Dymitri Pavlove to bring home the first run of the game. Bergeron then induced a 3-2-3 double play and struck out Brisson to keep the score at 1-0 Alberta.

The westerners added an insurance run in the top of the seventh. Centre fielder Alexander Diaz hit a lead off single and advanced to third on a stolen base and fielder’s choice. Diaz came home to score on a ground out before Bergeron ended the inning with a strikeout.

Cust finally found himself in some trouble in the bottom of the seventh as he tried to wrap up the no-no.

Alberta pitcher Brayden Cust and catcher Ayden Makarus celebrate after Cust completed his no-hitter on Monday afternoon. Photo Credit: Nikolas Marsiglio

After retiring the first two batters, he walked shortstop Tristan Aspeck and designated hitter Jason Begin to put runners on first and second. Pinch hitter Nicolas Tremblay then hit a blooper into shallow left field that Brisson dropped for an error, allowing Aspeck to score from second.

After a coach’s visit, Cust managed to keep his composure and strike out left-fielder Alexis Gravel to secure the 2-1 victory for Alberta.

“I was confident in what I had today,” said Cust, of that final inning. “I just wanted to get my team the W.”