Dirk Lammers's Blog, page 34
March 22, 2019
Happy 51st birthday, Ramón Martinez
Happy 51st birthday to Ramón Martinez, who tossed a Los Angeles Dodgers no-hitter in 1995.
On Friday, July 14, 1995, at Dodger Stadium, Martinez no-hit the Florida Marlins for a 7-0 win. Martinez’s only blemish was an eighth-inning walk issued to Tommy Gregg.
Mets’ Kroll, Richardson no-hit Pirates, 54 years ago today
The New York Mets’ Gary Kroll and Gordie Richardson no-hit the Pittsburgh Pirates, 54 years ago today.
Kroll pitched the first six innings on March 22, 1965, walking three batters in the first inning. Richardson threw the last three frames, with Del Crandall reaching first in the eighth inning on an error by shortstop Roy MacMillian. The Mets won 6-0.
Murray Chass’ report for the AP noted that the no-hitter “marked the first time the Mets had a hitless game pitched for them in exhibition or regular season play, instead of against them,” referring to Sandy Koufax’s 1962 no-no and Jim Bunning’s 1964 perfect game.
Little did anyone know back then that it would be another 47 years before a Mets pitcher would finally throw an official no-hitter – Johan Santana on June 1, 2012.
March 21, 2019
Happy 72nd to Bill Plummer, broke up a Randy Jones no-no in 8th
Happy 72nd birthday to Bill Plummer, who zapped Randy Jones’ chance to toss the San Diego Padres’ first no-hitter in 1975.
On July 3, 1975, at San Diego Stadium, Jones tossed seven innings of perfect baseball before getting into trouble in the eighth. First, Tony Perez reached base and advanced to second on a Hector Torres error, killing Jones’ perfect game. Then, after Perez advanced to third on a George Foster ground out, Plummer broke up the no-hitter and shutout with a double to right-center, scoring Perez.
Jones had to settle for the Padres’ sixth one-hitter, and the team’s no no-no count reached 1,042 regular season games. It’s currently at 7,976 games.
March 20, 2019
Piscotty’s homer extends A’s no-hit streak
Stephen Piscotty’s first-inning homer at the Tokyo Dome on Wednesday extended the Oakland Athletics’ streak of avoiding a no-hitter to a league-leading 4,381 regular-season games.
The A’s were last no-hit on Saturday, July 13, 1991, 27 years, 8 months, 6 days ago. On that day, the Baltimore Orioles’ Bob Milacki (6 inn.), Mike Flanagan (1 inn.), Mark Williamson (1 inn.) and Gregg Olson (1 inn.) teamed up to accomplish the feat at Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum for a 2-0 win. Oakland has avoided a no-no ever since, marking the longest active streak in Major League Baseball.
The mark pales in comparison to the Chicago Cubs’ now-defunct streak, which reached 7,920 regular-season games and nearly turned 50 years old before the Philadelphia Phillies’ Cole Hamels zapped the Cubbies at Wrigley Field on Saturday, July 25, 2015.
No-no throwers Shoun, Kennedy, born on this date
Top photo, Clyde Shoun; above, Vern Kennedy.No-no throwers Clyde Shoun and Vern Kennedy were born on this date.
The Cincinnati Reds’ Shoun, born in 1912, no-hit the Boston Braves at Crosley Field on May 15, 1944.
Kennedy, a Chicago White Sox pitcher born on this date in 1907, threw a no-no against the Cleveland Indians at Comiskey Park on August 31, 1935.
March 19, 2019
Happy 31st birthday, Clayton Kershaw
Happy 31st birthday to the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw, who threw a no-hitter against the Colorado Rockies in 2014.
The June 18, 2014, accomplishment came less than a month after the Dodgers’ Josh Beckett threw a no-hitter against the Phillies in Philadelphia. “Beckett told me he’s going to teach me how to do that,” Kershaw said after the game. “So I have Josh to thank.” Kershaw struck out 15 and walked none.
The Texas-born southpaw had a perfect game going in the seventh when shortstop Hanley Ramirez committed a throwing error on a ball hit to him by Corey Dickerson. Kershaw nearly lost the no-hitter soon after when Troy Tulowitzki hit a hard grounder to third, but Miguel Rojas fielded the ball behind the bag and made a long, accurate throw to first, which was aptly scooped by Adrian Gonzalez.
Kershaw, who is questionable for Opening Day due to a shoulder injury, has since taken two no-hitters into the seventh inning but hasn’t been able to duplicate the feat:
Tuesday, July 4, 2017, 6⅓ innings at Dodger Stadium, Spoiler: Chris Owings, one-out infield hit to second in the seventh inning, Los Angeles Dodgers 4, Arizona Diamondbacks 3Thursday, July 23, 2015, 6 innings at Citi Field, Spoiler: Curtis Granderson, single to right to lead off the seventh inning to break up perfect game bid, Los Angeles Dodgers 3, New York Mets 0
March 18, 2019
Kameda tosses first of 2 JBL no-nos, 79 years ago today
Tadashi Kameda tossed the first of his two Japanese Baseball League no-hitters, 79 years ago today.
On Monday, March 18, 1940, while pitching for the Korakuen Eagles at Hankyu Nishinomiya Stadium, Kameda no-hit the Lion Baseball Club for a 5-0 win.
Kameda’s second no-no came the next season after the team changed its name to Kurowashi. On Monday, April 14, 1941 at Korakuen Stadium in Tokyo, Kameda no-hit the Hanshin Tigers for a 1-0 victory.
Happy birthday to no-no thrower Frank Wickware
Today would be the 131st birthday of Frank Wickware, who threw a Negro Leagues no-hitter for the Chicago American Giants in 1914.
On Wednesday, August 26, 1914, Wickware no-hit the Indianapolis ABCs for a 1-0 win in a near perfecto that predated (and somewhat foreshadowed) the famed Babe Ruth/Ernie Shore “imperfect” game.
According to Wickware’s SABR bio written by Stephen V. Rice, Wickware allowed just one base runner. The ABCs’ George Shively led off the game by drawing a walk and was thrown out trying to steal second. Wickware then retired the next 26 batters for the nearly perfect game.
In the aforementioned Ruth/Shore contest, Ruth got the start for the Boston Red Sox on Saturday, June 23, 1917, but was ejected for arguing with and punching the ump after walking lead-off batter Ray Morgan. Shore was called in, Morgan was thrown out trying to steal second and Shore retired the next 26 Senators to complete a 4-0 no-hitter.
March 17, 2019
Marlins fall just shy of Grapefruit league no-no vs. Cards
The Miami Marlins nearly tossed a combined no-hitter against the St. Louis Cardinals in Grapefruit League play on Sunday, falling just three outs shy of the feat during a 4-2 win at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Florida.
Dexter Fowler, wearing a green St. Patrick’s Day jersey, broke up the no-no in the ninth with a leadoff lined single to right off Tayron Guerrero.
Trevor Richards got the start for the Marlins and tossed six innings of no-hit ball. Drew Steckenrider and Austin Price each tossed threw single no-hit innings, and Guerrero took the ball for the ninth.
Pair o’ Giants toss St. Patty’s no-no, 67 years ago today
A pair of New York Giants pitchers tossed a St. Patty’s Day no-hitter, 67 years ago today.
On Monday, March 17, 1952 at Los Angeles’ Wrigley Field, Jim Hearn got the start for the Giants and threw five innings of no-hit ball against the Chicago Cubs, striking out five and walking two. Monty Kennedy took the ball for the sixth and threw four innings of no-hit ball, fanning three and walking three to complete the 10-0 victory.
The game was the first of two March 17 no-nos.
On Friday, March 17, 2017, at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Florida, the Yankees’ Masahiro Tanaka tossed 4⅓ no-hit innings, walking two Detroit Tigers batters and striking out six. Chasen Shreve (⅔) and Jordan Montgomery (4) were perfect to close out the combined no-no for a 3-0 win.
