“Maldy came to me after my last start and said ‘Papi, I’m going to put in the work, I’m going to put in the preparation,’” McCullers said. “‘You do your thing and trust me when I go out here."
Maldonado joked that Bregman will shake off the pitches he calls 150 times during a 70 pitch outing.
"That's the one thing I talked about the day after in Arizona," Maldonado said. "I said 'Bro, I feel like I do my scouting report. Just give me one game. Just trust in me one game.' He agreed to it."
"I think I shook him (off) three times all night," McCullers said.
McCullers trust in his catcher paid off. In the Astros 6-4 win Monday night at Minute Maid Park, bounced back from his poor showing in Arizona and held the San Francisco Giants to one hit over seven shutout innings.
"He was outstanding," Astros manager Dusty Baker said. "He was more agressive with his fastball which increased their swinging for the breaking ball. He was really good."
Following back-to-back 1-2-3 innings to start the game, Austin Slater became the first batter to reach against McCullers when he was hit by a 2-2 changeup to start the third. McCullers stranded him on base by retiring the next three hitters and took a no-hitter into the seventh inning. Alex Dickerson grounded out to Carlos Correa to start that frame, but then Donovan Solano rolled a 1-2 changeup down the third baseline. The ball went under Alex Bregman's glove, ending McCullers' no-hit bid.
The Astros third baseman said he should've made the play, but McCullers blamed himself because he didn't listen to Maldonado.
"I shook (the pitch) off," he admitted. "It was the wrong pitch in the wrong situation. I recognized that about the second I left my hand."
Solano never moved off second base as McCullers finished his night by getting Brandon Belt to pop out and Wilmer Flores to ground out. He's not 2-1 with a 6.10 ERA through the first four starts of his comeback season, but he says the numbers aren't what matter at this point.
“I’m trying to grow into a frontline guy. I’m trying to grow into someone who can take the ball every fifth day, and give the team the best chance to win. That’s what I care about. Tonight I did that.”