It’s time again for Baseball Roundtable’s Trivia(l) Tidbit Tuesday. I hope you are enjoying this weekly presentation of baseball occurrences that for some reason caught The Roundtable’s eye. (I’m particularly fond of unexpected performances and statistical coincidences.) These won’t necessarily be momentous occurrences, just events, statistics or coincidences that grabbed my attention. I’m also drawn to baseball “unicorns,” one-of-a-kind MLB accomplishments or statistics. This week, we’re looking at games in which a team came away with a victory (in a non-shortened game) without the benefit of a single base hit. It’s happened just six times in Modern Era (post-1900) MLB history (Disclaimer: Negro Leagues individual game records from 1920-48 have not been fully incorporated into the MLB record book.)
Two of those games were officially recognized no-hitters. The four others were games in which the home team was hitless, but leading, and did not bat in the bottom of the ninth inning. (In 1991, MLB adopted a rule that to be a no-hitter, the pitcher or pitchers must have pitched at least nine innings.)
First, the two recognized no-hitters.
April 23, 1964 … Reds 1 – Colt .45s 0
The April 23, 1964 Reds/Colt .45s contest (in Houston) was a real nail-biter. After eight innings, the game was still scoreless and Colt .45s’ starter Ken Johnson had held the Reds without a hit. In fact, he had allowed only two baserunners (both on walks), while fanning nine.
Reds’ starter Joe Nuxhall had also pitched well, although not as spectacularly. Over the first eight frames, he had allowed no runs on five hits and a walk, with four strikeouts.
In the ninth, Johnson stayed on his no-hit pace, but started his own problems with an error. The inning started with Johnson retiring Nuxhall on a groundball to third. Then, Reds’ 2B Pete Rose attempted to bunt for a hit. Johnson fielded the ball but threw wildly to first base, with Rose not only safe on the error, but making it to second base. Next up was 3B Chico Ruiz, who added injury to insult, hitting a line drive off Johnson’s leg that ricocheted to Colt .45s’ 3B Bob Aspromonte, whose strong-armed throw beat Ruiz to first (1-5-3 if you’re keeping score). The hustling Rose went to third on the play. Next up was CF Vada Pinson, who hit a grounder to veteran 2B Nellie Fox, who bobbled it, allowing Pinson to reach first and Rose to score. Johnson, pitching on adrenalin and a sore leg, next retired RF and cleanup hitter Frank Robinson (fly out to LF) to end the inning – no hitter intact, but down by a 1-0 score.
The Colt .45s had a chance to tie it in the ninth, as 1B Pete Runnels reached first with two outs on a disputed play (ruled an error on Reds’ 1B Deron Johnson). Nuxhall retired the next batter, PH John Weekly, on strikes. And, Ken Johnson ended up as – and still is – the only MLB pitcher to complete a nine-inning, single- pitcher, no-hitter and lose. A Roundtable unicorn.
In his loss, Johnson gave up one unearned run, allowed no hits, walked two and fanned nine.
April 30, 1967 … Tigers 2 – Orioles 1
On April 30, 1967, the Orioles faced the Tigers in a Sunday doubleheader (in Baltimore). The Tigers prevailed in Game One by a 2-1 score – despite being held hitless by Orioles’ starter Steve Barber and reliever Stu Miller. The game was scoreless through the first seven innings; although it wasn’t a typical pitcher’s duel. Through the seventh, Tigers’ starter Earl Wilson had allowed just two baserunners (both singles), while Barber (who had not given up a hit) had walked five batters, hit two and managed to strand seven Detroit baserunners.
Barber pitched around a pair of walks (one intentional) in a scoreless top of the eighth (no-hitter still intact). In the bottom of the inning, the Orioles finally got to Wilson. LF Curt Blefary walked to open the inning and was sacrificed to second by 2B Woodie Held. Wilson them intentionally walked PH Charley Lau to get to Barber. The move backfired as Barber walked (unintentionally) to load the baes. A sacrifice fly by SS Luis Aparicio scored Blefary before an infield fly out by CF Russ Snyder ended the inning with Barber and the Orioles now up 1-0 (and looking toward a no-hit/no-run victory).
Then came the ninth, and Barber’s undoing. Tigers’ 1B Norm Cash walked to open the inning (and Dick Tracewski came in as a pinch runner). Tracewski did not have to run to second, as Barber next walked SS Ray Oyler (with Jake Wood coming in to run for Oyler). Wilson next laid down a sacrifice bunt, moving the runners to second and third. Still, there was hope, as Barber got dangerous pinch hitter Willie Horton on a foul pop out. Unfortunately, Barber uncorked a wild pitch to the next batter (CF Mickey Stanley), scoring Tracewski and went on to walk Stanley (Barber’s tenth walk of the game). At this point, Miller was brought in to relieve Barber. Tigers’ 3B Don Wert was up next and grounded to Orioles’ SS Aparicio for what looked like the final out. Aparicio went for the force at second base, but second baseman Mark Belanger mishandled the ball and a second run scored. Tigers’ RF Al Kaline then grounded out to end the frame with Detroit, still hitless, now up 2-1.
Reliever Fred Gladding came on for the Tigers in the ninth and retired the Orioles in order. End result: 2-1 Tigers’ victory; a win for Wilson; a save for Gladding; a loss for Barber; and an official combined no-hitter for Miller and Barber. Barber was credited with 8 2/3 innings pitched, no hits, two runs (one earned), ten walks and three strikeouts. Miller pitched 1/3 of an inning, facing just two batters (one reached base due to an error) and, of course, allowing no hits.
Now, let’s look at the remaining games from our chart. In each case, the home (and hitless) team was leading and, therefore, did not bat in the bottom of the ninth – preventing the pitchers on the losing (visiting) squad from completing the minimum of nine innings pitched for a no-hitter. (I’d like to see this rule changed to recognize no-hitters in games in which the pitcher or pitchers pitched eight innings, if the game ended because the home team had the lead going into the bottom of the ninth.)
July 1, 1990 … White Sox 4- Yankees 0
Of all these, the White Sox scored the most runs in a hitless victory – four. They all came in the eighth inning of a scoreless game (in Chicago). Hawkins, working on a no-hitter, had retired the first 15 batters he faced and, through seven innings, had given up three walks (three strikeouts). Notably, the eighth inning started with Yankees’ starter Andy Hawkins retiring the first two ChiSox’ hitters (C Ron Karkovice and 2B Scott Fletcher) on easy infield pop ups. Then, with two out in the eighth, disaster struck. Hawkins got RF Sammy Sosa to ground a 1-2 pitch to third baseman Mike Blowers (who knocked down the ball – on his backhand side – but whose throw to first was late). The scorekeeper ruled what should have been the final out of the frame as an error on Blowers – and Sosa ended up perched on first (with Hawkins’ no-no still intact). Sosa then stole second, in the middle of a walk to SS Ozzie Guillen. Hawkins, perhaps flustered, walked CF Lance Johnson on four pitches, loading the bases. Still, it looked like he had pitched his way out of the inning on his next pitch (to 3B Robin Ventura), which resulted in a flyball to LF Jim Leyritz. The ball clanked off Leyritz’ glove and all three runners scored (with Ventura ending up on second). Next up was DH Ivan Calderon, who hit a fly ball to deep right on a 1-2 pitch. Yankees’ RF Jesse Barfield mishandled this this one for another error and a fourth run. Finally, the inning ended – with four runs across – on a pop out to short by LF Dan Pasqua. Four runs (all unearned), on no hits, two walks and three errors (all after two outs). For the game, Hawkins was credited with a complete game (loss), eight innings pitched, no hits allowed, five walks and three strikeouts.
Well, at least Hawkins had nis no-hitter. Oops! The following year, MLB passed a rule that, in order for a game to be officially recognized as a no-hitter the pitcher (or pitchers) must have pitched at least nine innings. Since the home team White Sox (leading 4-0) did not bat in the bottom of the ninth, Hawkins, who lost the game in 1990, lost nis no-hitter in 1991.
April 12, 1992 … Indians 2 – Red Sox 1
This game was the first contest in a doubleheader – played on April 12, 1992 in Cleveland. Matt Young started for the Red Sox and Charles Nagy opened on the mound for the Indians. It was Young’s first start of the season and Nagy’s second (Nagy had tossed a complete game in a 2-0 loss at Baltimore on April 6.) In the April 12 game, the Red Sox outhit the Indians 9-0, but the Indians won the game 2-1. Young took the loss and, while he did not give up a hit in eight innings of work, he did walk seven (six strikeouts) and both runners who scored reached base via a free pass.
The Indians scored in the bottom of the first, as leadoff hitter CF Kenny Lofton drew a four-pitch walk. Then, with number-two hitter DH Glenallen Hill at the plate, Lofton stole second and third base, swiping third as Hill fanned on a 3-2 pitch. Lofton scored the game’s first run as number-three hitter 2B Carlos Baerga reached on an errant throw by Red Sox’ shortstop Luis Rivera. Young then retired the next two batters – LF Albert Belle and RF Mark Whiten – on outfield flies.
The Indians scored again in the third frame. Young walked number-nine hitter SS Mark Lewis and Lofton to open the inning, then a Hill grounder resulted in the force of Lofton at second base. Hill, who had reached on the fielder’s choice, stole second on Young’s second pitch Baerga. Lewis then scored on a groundball by Baerga.
The Red Sox did get one run back in the fourth inning on a single by CF Ellis Burks, a walk to 1B Mo Vaughn and a Rivera single – but it wasn’t enough. In the contest, the Red Sox left 11 men on base.
Young threw 120 pitches in his eight hitless innings – seven walks, six strikeouts and two earned runs.
June 28, 2008 …. Dodgers 1 – Angels 0
On Saturday night June 28, 2008, more than 55,000 fans showed up at Dodger Stadium to see the Dodgers take on the Angels. The pitching matchup featured the Dodgers’ Chad Billingsley (6-7, 3.64) versus the Angels’ Jered Weaver 7-7, 4.15). While Dodgers’ fans got see their hometown heroes held hitless by a pair of Angels’ hurlers, they also got to see a 1-0 Dodgers’ win – thanks to a couple of Angel errors and the speed of Dodgers’ CF Matt Kemp.
The game was scoreless for the first 4 1/2 innings. Billingsley had given up just one hit and two walks in five innings of work (six strikeouts), while Weaver had allowed just one baserunner (a walk to Dodger C Russell Martin) and fanned two over four innings.
The bottom of the fifth saw the Dodgers produce what would be the game’s only run – in the space of two Dodger batters, four pitches and two Angels’ fielding miscues. Kemp reached base on a little “nubber” in front of home that Weaver couldn’t handle. Then, with 3B Blake DeWitt at the plate, Kemp stole second on a 0-1 pitch and went to third on a throwing error by catcher Angels’ C Jeff Mathis. Kemp then scored on a DeWitt sacrifice fly and that was it for the evening’s offense. Weaver went on to pitch six innings, giving up no hits (three walks) and the one unearned run, while walking three and fanning six (a total of 97 pitches, 59 strikes). Jose Arredondo pitched the seventh and eighth (the Dodgers, leading, did not bat in the ninth). Arredondo retired six straight batters, fanning three.
Meanwhile, Billingsley pitched seven innings, giving up three hits and three walks, holding the Angels scoreless and fanning seven.
Jonathan Broxton pitched the eighth for the Dodgers giving up one hit (and fanning) one, while Takashi Saito pitched the ninth and survived a two-out double and walk without surrendering a run. For the hitless Dodgers, Billingsley got the win, Broxton a hold and Saito a save. Weaver, of course, took the loss for the Angels.
The Angels, who came into Dodger Stadium as the AL West leaders (48-32) did not do much against the Dodger pitching (the Dodgers were 36-42 as the crosstown series began). The Halos scored just one run in the three games, losing the first game 6-0, the second game 1-0 and winning the finale 1-0. The Dodgers and Angels, by the way, finished the season first in their respective division races: the Angels at 100-62, the Dodgers at 84-78.
May 15, 2022 … Pirates 1- Reds O
On May 15, 2022 – as the Reds and Pirates faced off in Pittsburgh – few, if any, fans were expecting a pitchers’ duel. Starting for the Reds was 22-year-old rookie righthander Hunter Greene (making just his seventh MLB start and sporting a 1-5, 7.62 record). On the mound for the Pirates was veteran southpaw Jose Quintana (in his 12th MLB campaign and with a 1-1, 2.70 record on the season).
The two starters both made it through seven innings with allowing a run. In his seven frames, Quintana allowed just three hits (all singles) and one walk, while fanning five. The rookie Greene was even better. Through seven frames had had yet to allow a hit (three walks and nine strikeouts).
In the top of the eight, Chris Statton replaced Quintana (at 89 pitches) on the mound and held the Reds scoreless, pitching around a double and a walk. Greene faltered in the bottom of the eighth, although he did not give up a hit. After retiring Reds’ RF Jack Suwinski on a grounder to first, Greene walked the number-eight and number-nine hitters – SS Rodolfo Castro and C Michael Perez – both on 3-2 pitches. By this time, Greene had thrown 118 pitches and manager David Bell brought in Art Warren in relief. Warren walked the first batter he faced, Pirates’ LF Ben Gamel, on four pitches, loading the bases with one out. 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes was up next and grounded to second (producing a 4-6 force-out second base), with Castro scoring on the play. The next batter, CF Bryan Reynolds, popped out to short to end the inning – Pirates, without a hit, up 1-0.
David Bednar came on to pitch the ninth for the Pirates and retired the Reds in order. Greene took the loss, Stratton got a win and Bednar logged a save. Greene was credited with 7 1/3 innings pitched, no hits one run (earned), five walks and nine strikeouts. Warren pitched 2/3 of an inning, no hits, one walk). Here again, since the home (and hitless) team was ahead and did not bat in the ninth, Greene and Warren did not complete the nine innings pitched to qualify for an official no-hitter.
For those who like to know such things. Greene went on to a 5-13, 4.44 rookie season and Quintana finished 2022 at 6-7, 2.93 (and in a Cardinals uniform).
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