NEW YORK — 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

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