One Hit Short of Glory: Noah Cameron Deals Complete-Game Gem as Royals Blank Angels

ANAHEIM — Noah Cameron didn't get the no-hitter. He got something arguably more impressive: a complete-game, one-hit shutout, and the kind of performance that makes you rethink what this kid can be.

On a sun-soaked Sunday at Angel Stadium, Cameron carved up the Angels like a Sunday roast, striking out eight and allowing just one hit — a blooper off the bat of Vaughn Grissom in the seventh that ended his flirtation with history. The Royals walked away with a 3-0 win, and Cameron walked off with his first career complete game.

Dealing From The Jump

Cameron was absolutely surgical from the first pitch. He mowed down the first 15 Angels hitters in order before Oswald Peraza drew a leadoff walk in the sixth. No damage done — Peraza got as far as second, but Cameron slammed the door, striking out Josh Lowe and getting Zach Neto to bounce out.

Then came the seventh. Cameron punched out Mike Trout — yes, THAT Mike Trout — to open the inning. One out away from almost nothing? But then Grissom dropped a bloop into no-man's land. The no-hitter was gone. The gem wasn't.

The 27-year-old lefty slammed the brakes on any Angels rally from there and finished with a career-high 115 pitches (73 strikes). It was the first one-hit shutout by a Royals pitcher since Zack Greinke did it back in 2009 — and Cameron did it with the kind of poise that should terrify the AL Central.

History Has Been Close Before

This isn't the first time Cameron has danced with destiny. On July 30 in Minnesota, he carried a no-no into the seventh before Ryan Jeffers led off with a single. Cameron stayed in and fired eight innings of one-hit ball — but the bullpen couldn't hold it, and the Twins walked it off in the ninth.

This time, Cameron wasn't letting anyone take it from him.

He's been on an absolute tear lately, posting a 1.19 ERA over his last five starts (37⅔ innings). That's not just a hot streak — that's a full-on breakout. His season line sits at 7-8 with a 4.16 ERA across 23 starts and a relief appearance, but the numbers only tell part of the story.

A Rising Star In KC

Cameron came up through the system after being drafted in the seventh round out of Central Arkansas in 2021. Last year, he was stellar — 9-7 with a 2.99 ERA in 24 starts and a fourth-place finish in AL Rookie of the Year voting. Now he's showing why the Royals believe in him as a cornerstone arm.

The no-hitter will have to wait. But if Cameron keeps pitching like this, it's not a matter of if — it's a matter of when.

This report includes information from The Associated Press.