Dirk Lammers's Blog, page 86
June 2, 2016
Happy 76th birthday Jim Maloney
Happy 76th birthday to Jim Maloney, who threw two official Cincinnati Reds no-hitters and had another broken up in extra innings.
On August 19, 1965, during the first game of a Thursday doubleheader at Wrigley Field, Maloney no-hit the Cubs for nine innings but his Reds failed to score a run. The game went into the top of the 10th, when Leo Cardenas hit a one-out homer off Larry Jackson. Maloney finished out the game to complete the 1-0 10-inning no-no.
Just two months earlier, Maloney threw 10 innings of no-hit ball against the New York Mets only to lose the no-no, and game, in the 11th inning. Maloney gave up leadoff home run to Johnny Lewis and allowed one more hit in the losing effort.
Maloney did notch a second official career no-hitter of the typical nine-inning variety four years later. At home at Crosley Field on Wednesday, April 30, 1969, Maloney no-hit the Houston Astros for a 10-0 win.
(Feature image courtesy of the Ernie Harwell Sports Collection, Detroit Public Library)
Johnson tosses first no-no, 26 years ago today
One of Randy Johnson’s no-no balls in the Baseball Hall of Fame.Randy Johnson threw the first of his two no-hitters, 26 years ago today.
On Saturday, June 2, 1990, “The Big Unit” no-hit Detroit as his Seattle Mariners topped the Tigers 2-0 at the Kingdome. It was the Mariners’ first no-hitter.
Fourteen years later, a 40-year-old Johnson retired all of the 27 Atlanta Braves batters he faced at Turner Field to lead the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 2-0 perfect-game win.
The perfecto gave Johnson the distinction of being the oldest pitcher to throw a perfect game, and he is the only pitcher to throw two franchises’ first no-hitters.
June 1, 2016
The other June 1 no-hitters
Bill Dietrich threw a no-hitter for the Chicago White Sox.I just realized that every year we (of course) celebrate the anniversary of Johan Santana’s no-hitter, the first for the New York Mets, and often neglect the other two thrown on this date.
On Tuesday, June 1, 1937, The Chicago White Sox Bill Dietrich no-hit the St. Louis Browns for an 8-0 win at Comiskey Park.
And on Sunday, June 1, 1975, the California Angels’ Nolan Ryan no-hit the Baltimore Orioles for a 1-0 win at Anaheim Stadium. It was Ryan’s fourth no-hitter of an eventual seven career no-hitters, tying the then major-league record set by Sandy Koufax.
Santana breaks Mets’ no-no curse, 4 years ago today
Today is the fourth anniversary of Johan Santana breaking the Mets’ no no-hitters streak at 8,019 games. As always, we celebrate by repeating our original post from June 1, 2012. Also, here’s the link to Phil Taylor’s Sports Illustrated piece on last year’s anniversary, for which I was a source: No-no regrets: Johan Santana would not alter a thing. Terry Collins might.
The streak ends at 8,019: Santana no-hits Cards
John SantanaFor the first time in 8,019 games, a New York Mets game has ended with a zero in the opposing team’s “H” column.
Johan Santana threw a no-hitter Friday to accomplish what Nolan Ryan, Tom Seaver, Dwight Gooden and David Cone could do only for other teams — not the Mets.
Santana scattered five walks and struck out eight during the 8-0 victory.
Sanatana’s no-no leaves the San Diego Padres as the only franchise without a no-hitter, and anoints the Padres with newfound infamy as the team with the longest drought. We haven’t yet worked out their current count.
The Mets drought stretched into the team’s 50th season, starting when the St. Louis Cardinals’ Julian Javier singled to left off Mets starter Roger Craig on April 11, 1962, during the Mets franchise’s first Major League game.
In addition to Ryan, Seaver, Gooden, Cone, Mike Scott and Hideo Nomo also pitched no-hitters after leaving the Mets. Nomo is the only pitcher to hurl no-nos both before (Los Angeles Dodgers, 1996) and after (Boston Red Sox, 2001) his stints with the Mets.
The rest of the cast pitching no-hitters before joining the Mets includes Don Cardwell (Chicago Cubs), Warren Spahn (Milwaukee Braves), Dean Chance (Minnesota Twins), Dock Ellis (Pittsburgh Pirates), John Candelaria (Pittsburgh Pirates), Bret Saberhagen (Kansas City Royals), Scott Erickson (Twins), Al Leiter (Florida Marlins) and Kenny Rogers (Texas Rangers).
Thank you, Johan for finally breaking the curse.
May 31, 2016
White Sox’s Benz no-hits Cleveland, 102 years ago today
Joe BenzJoe Benz threw the fifth a no-hitter in Chicago White Sox history, 102 years ago today.
At Comiskey Park, on Sunday, May 31, 1914, Benz no-hit the Cleveland Naps for a 6-1 win in a game with six total blunders, three by each time.
“Errors were plentiful on both sides,” noted one newspaper report. “Two of Chicago’s came together in the fourth round to produce Cleveland’s run.”
The Naps’ run was scored by Roy Wood, who reached base and advanced to second on an errant throw by Sox shortstop Buck Weaver. Wood took third when third baseman Scotty Alcock muffed Weaver’s assist on Rivington Bisland’s grounder, then scored when Jack Graney grounded into a no-out double play.
Benz also issued two walks during the game, but both of those base runners were sent back to the dugout on double plays.
May 30, 2016
Eckersley no-hits Angels, 39 years ago today
The Cleveland Indians’ Dennis Eckersley threw a no-hitter against the California Angels, 39 years ago today.
On Monday, May 30, 1977, Eckersely walked just one batter at Cleveland Stadium as the Indians topped the Angels 1-0. Eckersley, who also pitched for the Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs and Oakland A’s, now does some studio work for NESN.
May 29, 2016
Halladay throws perfect game, 6 years ago today
The Philadelphia Phillies’ Roy Halladay threw a perfect game against the Florida Marlins, six years ago today.
On Saturday, May 29, 2010, at Sun Life Stadium, Halladay sent every Marlins batter he faced back to the dugout, and a lone unearned run in the third was all the Phillies needed to defeat Florida 1-0.
Halladay added a second no-hitter in the 2010 postseason, shutting down the Cincinnati Reds 4-0 in the first game of the National League Divisional Series.
Also throwing a no-hitter on this date is Ed Morris, who tossed one for the American Association’s Columbus Buckeyes 132 years ago today. On Thursday, May 29, 1884 at Pittsburgh’s Recreation Park, Morris shut down the Pittsburgh Alleghenys for a 5-0, no-hit win.
May 28, 2016
Alexander pitches for final time, 86 years ago today
The winningest pitcher to not throw a no-hitter played his last major-league game, 86 years ago today.
Grover Cleveland Alexander
On May 28, 1930, the Philadelphia Phillies’ Grover Cleveland Alexander finished out his career with a relief appearance during the team’s 5-1 loss to the Boston Braves. The Phils were already down 3-1 at Braves Field when Alexander came in and pitched two innings, giving up two runs and two hits.
Alexander compiled a 373-208 record with a 2.56 ERA over a 20-year career with the Philadelphia Phillies, the Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals. He returned to the Phillies for the 1930 season, but only added three losses to his record before hanging up the cleats.
“Ol’ Pete” came close to a no-no in 1915. He was dominating the St. Louis Cardinals on June 5, 1915, and was one out away from a no-hitter when Cardinals shortstop Artie Butler popped a single into short center field. Alexander held on for a 3-0 complete-game one-hit shutout. It was the first of his four career one-hitters.
May 27, 2016
Terry’s tosses 2nd no-no, 128 years ago today
Adonis TerryBrooklyn’s Adonis Terry threw the second of his two no-hitters, 128 years ago today.
On Sunday, May 27, 1888, Terry no-hit Louisville at Brooklyn’s Ridgewood Park to give the
Bridegrooms a 4-0 win over the Colonels.
His first no-no came on Saturday, July 24, 1886, when Terry no-hit the St. Louis Browns for a 1-0 win at the Brooklyn Grays’ new home of Washington Park.
May 26, 2016
Haddix tosses 12 perfect innings and loses, 57 years ago today
Harvey HaddixToday marks the 57th anniversary of what is perhaps the greatest baseball game ever thrown by a pitcher.
On May 26, 1959, in Harvey Haddix’s first season with the Pirates, the Medway, Ohio southpaw retired 36 Milwaukee Braves batters for a perfect game through 12 innings, but his team couldn’t score. Haddix lost the perfect game when Don Hoak threw a routine grounder in the dirt, then lost the no-hitter and the game when Joe Adcock launched a ball over the right-center field fence.
Haddix was later immortalized by The Baseball Project, which asks in its chrous, “Why don’t we add ‘ol Harvey to the list?”
