An Angels no-hitter on Tyler Skaggs night was an amazing, emotional tribute

The Angels threw their first no-hitter in seven years, but the best pitch of the night came before the game even started.

Friday was a night to honor Tyler Skaggs, the Angels pitcher who died July 1 in Dallas during a road trip. This was the Angels’ first home game since Skaggs’ death, one night before what would have been the pitcher’s 28th birthday. After a 45-second moment of silence, and with her son’s framed 45 jersey behind the mound as a backdrop, Skaggs’ mother Debbie delivered a perfect strike to his friend and Angels teammate Andrew Heaney.

Anything that happened after this moment was secondary, though still made special nonetheless by every Angels player wearing a Skaggs 45 jersey during the game.

Taylor Cole, a reliever, was the opener for the Angels on Friday, and retired all six batters he faced. Bulk right-hander Felix Peña kept it going with seven hitless innings of his own, allowing only a fifth-inning walk to Omar Narvaez. He was the only Mariners batter all night to reach base.

Peña finished off the no-hitter by retiring his final 14 batters faced, completing the Angels’ first no-hitter since Jered Weaver in 2012. This was the 11th no-hitter in Angels history, and the second thrown in MLB this season.

“It all started today with Debbie’s first pitch. She threw it right down the middle,” Cole told Alex Curry on the Fox Sports West broadcast after the game. “Unbelievable.”

This game was out of reach early, thanks to seven runs in the first inning for the Angels, who prevailed over Seattle, 13-0. It was a season high in runs for the Halos.

Mike Trout, unsurprisingly, led the way offensively, reaching base in his first five times up, with a home run, two doubles, a hit by pitch and a walk. He drove in six runs. Trout’s home run came in the opening frame, hitting the first pitch he saw.

Trout’s home run went 454 feet. The one he hit while wearing No. 45, for Tyler Skaggs.

After the final out the Angels celebrated on the field, and everyone laid their 45 jerseys on the mound, one by one. That’s when the emotions of Tyler Skaggs night really set in. Goosebumps everywhere.

Friday was a night to remember in Anaheim.