(AP) — Two hard-hit comebackers in the first inning Wednesday afternoon had Gavin Williams worrying about the direction his start would take against the New York Mets.

Instead, the Cleveland Guardians right-hander nearly made history.

Williams came within two outs of Cleveland’s first no-hitter in 44 years before Juan Soto homered with one out in the ninth and Hunter Gaddis finished the combined one-hitter in a 4-1 win.

“Man, it was that close,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “I thought he was going to get it.”

Williams wasn’t thinking no-hitter after an eventful first. Francisco Lindor’s 107.2 mph liner on Williams’ second pitch knocked off his glove — the right-hander scrambled for the loose ball and threw out the former Cleveland star — before Williams snared another liner by

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