Playing Saturday morning quarterback with Ross Stripling’s near no-hitter.

Ross Stripling

Dodgers pitcher Ross Stripling puts on a sweatshirt in the dugout after being relieved in the eighth inning of Friday’s game in San Francisco. Stripling did not allow a hit in his major league debut. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)

SAN FRANCISCO >> Ross Stripling reportedly had 174 messages waiting on his phone after his near no-hitter last night. Dave Roberts had about 40, but the best message he received was delivered in person.

Ross’ dad was down in the lobby (of the team hotel) today and just sought me out,” Roberts said. “He came up to me, really kind of emotional, and thanked me, for him and his wife, for looking out for their son.

“When you have a father and a mother who know his kid’s story and what he endured to get here, they enjoyed that moment more than anyone. For him to say ‘thank you for taking care of our son’s future, and their family’ — I’ll have his support forever. For me, I felt good about it regardless of that. To get the parents’ stamp of approval is always a good thing.”

Ross’ father, Hayes, and his mother, Tammy, were among the 21 family and friends who attended his debut Friday. Stripling nearly made history, falling five outs short of becoming the first pitcher since 1892 to throw a no-hitter in his debut.

Roberts clarified Saturday that Stripling wasn’t on a strict pitch count, even though he was pulled after exactly 100 pitches. Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman concurred with the decision.

“Doc and Honey (pitching coach Rick Honeycutt) were doing everything they could to win a game,” Friedman said. “I thought it was a tough night in terms of the questions (Roberts had to answer) after. His convictions after the game stood out.”

Honeycutt, Roberts and the Dodgers’ medical staff all contributed to the decision of how aggressively to limit Stripling in his debut. Stripling missed all of 2014, and the first two months of 2015, recovering from Tommy John surgery. He had never thrown more than 93 pitches in a game since coming back.

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About J.P. Hoornstra

J.P. Hoornstra covers the Dodgers, Angels and Major League Baseball for the Orange County Register, Los Angeles Daily News, Long Beach Press-Telegram, Torrance Daily Breeze, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Pasadena Star-News, San Bernardino Sun, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Whittier Daily News and Redlands Daily Facts. Before taking the beat in 2012, J.P. covered the NHL for four years. UCLA gave him a degree once upon a time; when he graduated on schedule, he missed getting Arnold Schwarzenegger's autograph on his diploma by five months.