Cone’s Comeback Nearly Perfect In 5-0 Victory

David Cone was making a dramatic return to the mound, his first start since having an aneurysm removed from his pitching arm four months ago. And he was throwing a no-hitter.

As if he needed any extra pressure, every time Cone walked off the mound he caught the eye of his dad - who once upon a time also was his Little League coach.

“I can’t remember a major-league game where I could make eye contact with my dad,” Cone said. “I felt, ‘Oh geesh, there’s my dad,’ and I kept wondering if he was going to yell at me for hanging a pitch or something.”

Cone, coming back from shoulder surgery some thought might end his season, pitched seven hitless innings Monday in the New York Yankees’ 5-0 victory over Oakland.

His chance to join reliever Mariano Rivera on the first combined no-hitter in the majors since 1991 was ruined when Jose Herrera beat out an infield single with one out in the ninth.

Ed Cone flew from Kansas City to watch his son’s comeback game. David didn’t know until Sunday night his dad would be there.

As he walked off the mound after each inning, Cone looked above the Yankees’ dugout to catch the gaze of his dad.

“My heart was in my throat throughout the game. I was very apprehensive, but very proud,” the elder Cone said. “It was a terrific moment to see David. He always amazes me, the way he seems to rise to a challenge.”

Cone, whose fingers were numb and blue after his previous start May 2, struck out six and walked three before Yankees manager Joe Torre and pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre decided to remove him after 85 pitches.

Cone (5-1) had been on a 100-pitch limit, but allowed two hard-hit balls in the seventh after the Yankees spent a long time at bat while scoring three in the top of the inning.

“If Joe was going to leave the decision to me, I’m going back out and throwing caution to the wind,” Cone said. “I think (they) did the right thing, trying to protect me.”

Torre said his decision wasn’t difficult.

“I could not let the no-hitter cloud what we set out to do,” Torre said. “If I leave him in and he throws 105 or 106 pitches and wakes up with a sore arm tomorrow, I’d never forgive myself for that.”

A couple of fine defensive plays in the seventh kept the no-hitter alive.

Rivera retired the A’s in order in the eighth and got Mike Bordick on a grounder to shortstop on his first pitch of the ninth.

Herrera, a speedy rookie, then slapped a grounder under third baseman Charlie Hayes that shortstop Derek Jeter stopped on the outfield grass. Herrera slid into first just ahead of the throw to Tino Martinez. Torre argued with first base umpire Larry McCoy that Herrera failed to beat the throw, but Cone - who showed no emotion in the dugout as Herrera got the hit - said McCoy’s call was correct.

Tony Batista struck out and Jason Giambi hit into a game-ending fielder’s choice.

After a sluggish first inning in which he walked two, Cone overwhelmed an A’s team on pace to break the major-league record for homers in a season. He overpowered the A’s with fastballs and sliders, and fooled them with breaking pitches that had some Oakland batters totally off balance.

“That’s the best stuff he’s had all year,” Yankees catcher Joe Girardi said.