Dirk Lammers's Blog, page 21
September 20, 2019
Bob Moose’s no-no turns 50
Today is the 50th anniversary of Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Bob Moose temporarily interrupting the Miracle Mets’ postseason push with a no-hitter at Shea Stadium.
On Saturday, September 20, 1969, Moose struck out six and walked three to lead the Pirates to a 4-0 win over New York. My father and my two oldest sisters were at the game, but I was left at home that day because I was only 11 months old.
The Cubs lost, too, so the Mets maintained a four-game lead in the newly formed National League East division. Wayne Garrett nearly notched a hit in the sixth inning with a deep fly to left, but Roberto Clemente chased it down.
“I thought it was gone when he hit it, but then I saw the wind hold it up” Moose told Daily News writer Phil Pepe. “I knew if any right-fielder was going to catch it, Clemente would.”
September 1, 2019
Verlander no-hits Blue Jays, joins exclusive hat-trick club
The Houston Astros’ Justin Verlander threw his third career no-hitter on Sunday, becoming just the sixth pitcher in major-league history to reach that milestone.
Verlander struck out 14 and walked one at Rogers Centre to lead the Astros to a 2-0 victory against the Toronto Blue Jays. He joins Larry Corcoran, Cy Young, Bob Feller, Sandy Koufax, Nolan Ryan in the exclusive club. Koufax threw a fourth no-no (a perfect game), and Ryan threw a total of seven no-hitters
Verlander tossed his first two no-nos during his stint with the Detroit Tigers, no-hitting the Milwaukee Brewers in June 2007 and the Blue Jays in May 2011.
August 3, 2019
Astros throw combined no-no vs. Mariners
The Houston Astros tossed a combined no-hitter against Seattle on Saturday night, marking the second time in less than a month that the Mariners have fallen victim to a no-no.
Aaron Sanchez, making his Astros debut after his trade from the Toronto Blue Jays, tossed six innings of no-hit ball, yielding just three base runners on a hit batsman and a pair of walks. Will Harris, Joe Biagini and Chris Devenski each followed with single no-hit innings to complete the 9-0 win at Minute Maid Park.
The effort marked the Astros’ 12th no-hitter in franchise history, and the second combined no-no. Six Astros pitchers no-hit the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium in 2003. Three no-hit pitchers were at Minute Maid Park for Saturday’s team Hall of Fame inductions: Nolan Ryan Mike Scott and Larry Dierker.
Astros toss combined no-no vs. Mariners
The Houston Astros tossed a combined no-hitter against Seattle on Saturday night, marking the second time in less than a month that the Mariners have fallen victim to a no-no.
Aaron Sanchez tossed six innings of no-hit ball, and Will Harris, Joe Biagini and Chris Devenski each followed with single no-hit innings to complete the 9-0 win at Minute Maid Park.
The effort marked the Astros’ 12th no-hitter in franchise history, and the second combined no-no. Six Astros pitchers no-hit the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium in 2003.
July 13, 2019
Angels toss combined no-no on night honoring Skaggs
The Los Angels Angels made a night honoring late pitcher Tyler Skaggs even more special Friday night by tossing a combined no-hitter.
With all of Skaggs’ Angels teammates wearing his No. 45 jerseys, Taylor Cole no-hit the Seattle Mariners for two innings and Felix Peña followed with seven as the Angles threw the franchise’s 11th no-no for a 13-0 victory.
The only Mariners batter to reach base was Omar Narvaez, who walked in the fifth.
The effort marked the first Angels no-hitter since May 2, 2012, when Jered Weaver no-hit the Minnesota Twins for a 9-0 win at Angel Stadium. The last no-hitter against the Mariners was on April 21, 2012, when the Chicago White Sox’s Philip Humber threw a perfect game for a 4-0 win at Safeco Field.
June 26, 2019
Red Sox’s Earl Wilson throws no-hitter and homers, 57 years ago today
The Boston Red Sox’s Earl Wilson tossed a no-hitter and hit a homer to help his cause, 57 years ago today.
At Fenway Park on Tuesday, June 26, 1962, Wilson struck out five, walked four and allowed zero hits, as the Red Sox shut out the Los Angeles Angels 2-0.
Wilson was responsible for the first run, hitting a third-inning, one-out home run off of Bo Belinsky, who had tossed his own no-hitter a little over a month earlier. The Sox added an insurance run in the fourth.
June 22, 2019
Joe Niekro loses Padres no-no in 7th, 50 years ago today
The San Diego Padres’ Joe Niekro took an Astrodome no-hitter into the seventh inning, 50 years ago today.
On Sunday June 22, 1969, Niekro reached the seventh inning without allowing a hit, issuing just a first-inning walk to the Houston Astros’ Jim Wynn. Niekro’s no-hitter appeared to be over in the third inning, but Sandy Valdespino missed first base on what appeared to be a double, turning the play into a ground out.
With one out in the seventh, after Wynn reached first base on an fielding error by Padres third baseman Ed Spiezio, Denis Menke stepped to the plate and lined a single to left to kill the no-no. Niekro gave up one run in the inning, and reliever Billy McCool yielded another in the eighth, as the Astros topped the Padres 1-0 for no no-hitter No. 72.
Joe Niekro never threw a major-league no-hitter, but he did throw a minor-league perfect game in 1972 after a brief AAA demotion from the Detroit Tigers. On July 16, 1972, is his first game with the Toledo Mud Hens, Niekro tossed the 7-inning perfecto in the second game of a doubleheader aginst the Tidewater Tides, the New York Mets’ affiliate.
Niekro’s brother Phil, who spent most of his career with the Atlanta Braves, tossed a no-hitter against the San Diego Padres in 1973.
June 20, 2019
Scherzer turns perfecto into no-no by plunking 27th batter, 4 years ago today
The Washington Nationals’ Max Scherzer threw baseball’s 289th no-hitter four years ago today, becoming just the second pitcher to plunk the 27th batter during a perfecto yet recover for the no-no.
Scherzer, who had to pitch last night with a broken nose after a bunting practice miscue, retired the first 26 Pittsburgh Pirates he faced on June 20, 2015 before grazing pinch-hitter Jose Tabata with a pitch in the ninth inning, losing the perfect game. He then got Josh Harrison to fly out to left to complete the no-hitter, his first of two career no-nos to date. Scherzer struck out 10 batters and walked no one.
Only one other pitcher lost a perfect game by hitting the 27th batter yet recovered to save the no-no, and it was in 1908.
The New York Giants’ George “Hooks” Wiltse retired the first 26 Philadelphia Quakers he faced during the first game of a July 4 doubleheader that year before hitting opposing pitcher George McQuillan on the arm. The game at the time was a 0-0 tie. The Giants scored in the top of the 10th and Wiltse got his three outs in the bottom half to complete the no-no for a 1-0 win.
June 19, 2019
Erskine, Busby threw no-nos on this date
The Brooklyn Dodgers’ Carl Erskine and the Kansas City Royals’ Steve Busby threw no-hitters on this date.
On Thursday, June 19, 1952, at Ebbets Field, Erskine no-hit the Chicago Cubs for the first of his two career no-hitters. The Dodgers won 5-0, as Erskine struck out only one but walked only one.
On Wednesday, June 19, 1974, at Milwaukee County Stadium, Busby no-hit the Milwaukee Brewers for a 2-0 win. It was his second of two career no-nos. Busby struck out three and walked one.
June 14, 2019
Reds’ Maloney tosses 10 innings of no-hit ball and loses, 54 years ago today.
The Cincinnati Reds’ Jim Maloney tossed 10 innings of no-hit ball before losing his effort – and the game – in the 11th, 54 years ago today.
On Monday, June 14, 1965, at Crosley Field, Maloney was cruising through the New York Mets lineup through 10, striking out 17 batters while walking just one. But the Mets were also pitching a gem, with Frank Lary scattering five hits with no runs through eight innings and reliever Larry Bearnarth keeping the game scoreless.
In the top of the 11th, Maloney gave up leadoff home run to Johnny Lewis and allowed one more hit, and the Reds couldn’t plate a run in the bottom half of the inning, resulting in a 1-0 loss.
Maloney would throw a 10-inning complete-game no-hitter against the Chicago Cubs two months later and add a traditional nine-inning no-no in 1969 against the Astros while posting a 134-84 record over 12 MLB seasons.
