Homer Bailey – who threw 2012’s last no hitter – throws 2013’s first.
Reds’ right-hander Homer Bailey (“Homer” – unfortunate name for a pitcher) threw MLB’s first no-hitter Tuesday (July 2) night, as well as the last no-hitter of the 2012 season (September 28, 2012). Pitching in Cincinnati’s very hitter-friendly Great American Ballpark, Bailey shutdown the Giants 3-0 on 109 pitchers, walking just one, striking out nine. (Bailey took a perfect game into to the seventh.) It was MLB’s 280th recognized no-hitter, and Bailey became just the 31st pitcher to throw multiple no-hitters. A list of those hurlers follows, but first a few no-hitter factoids.
Consecutive no-hitters: Two – by Johnny Vander Meer of the Reds, as he shut down the Boston Braves 3-0 on June 11, 1938 and the Brooklyn Dodgers 6-0 on June 15, 1938.
Two no-hitters in one season: Johnny Vander Meer, Reds, 1938; Allie Reynolds, Yankees, 1951; Virgil Trucks, Tigers, 1952; Nolan Ryan, Angels, 1973; Roy Halladay, Phillies, 2010 (one in post-season).
Pitchers who have thrown a no-hitter in both the AL and NL: Cy Young (Cleveland Spiders/NL and Boston Americans and Red Sox/AL); Jim Bunning (Detroit Tigers/Philadelphia Phillies); Hideo Nomo (LA Dodgers/Boston Red Sox); Randy Johnson (Seattle Mariners/Arizona Diamondbacks); Nolan Ryan (Houston Astros/California Angels/Texas Rangers).
Opening Day no-hitters: On April 16, 1940, the Indians’ Bob Feller threw the only Opening Day no-hitter, topping the White Sox 1-0 at Comiskey.
World Series no-hitter: Yankee Don Larsen’s October 8, 1956, perfect game against the Dodgers in game six of the ’56 Series is the only World Series no-hitter. Roy Halladay threw the only other post season no-hitter to date, as he topped the Reds in game one of the 2010 NL Division Series (October 6, 2010).
Most pitchers used in a combined no-hitter: Six. On June 11, 2003, Roy Oswalt started for the Astros against the Yankees, but aggravated a groin injury in the second inning (having not given up a hit). Oswalt was followed to the mound by Pete Munro, Kirk Sarloos, Brad Lidge, Octoavio Dotel and Billy Wagner – and the six hurlers combined to no-hit the “Bombers” 8-0.
Pitchers who hit homers while pitching a no-hitter: On June 23, 1971 Rick Wise of the Phillies went two-for-four, with two homers and three RBI, while no-hitting the Reds 4-0 in Cincinnati. Wise is the only hurler to go deep twice while tossing a no-hit game. And this was no easy no-no. It was against the “Big Red Machine,” with a lineup featuring such hitters as Pete Rose, George Foster, Johnny Bench, Tony Perez, Lee May. Other pitchers to homer (once) in the midst of a no-hit game are the Indians’ Wes Ferrell, in a April 29, 1931, 9-0 no-hit win over the Saint Louis Browns and the Tigers’ Earl Wilson, in a June 26, 1962, no-hitter victory over the Angels.
Most walks in a no-hitter: Eleven by Blue Moon Odom and Francisco Barrios, as the White Sox topped the A’s (Odom was with the White Sox by then) 2-1 on July 28, 1976. Odom lasted just five innings. He was relieved – holding a 2-1 lead – after walking the lead-off hitter in the bottom of the sixth (and going 1-0 on the next batter). Francisco Barrios came on and finished the game, allowing no hits, but walking two more in four innings of work.
Most walks in a no-hitter by one pitcher: Ten by Steve Barber in a combined no hitter. Barber took a no-hitter, albeit with seven walks, and a 1-0 lead into the top of the ninth as his Orioles played the Tigers in Detroit on April 30, 1967. Barber walked the first two batters in the final inning. Then a sacrifice move them to second and third. A wild pitch followed, plating the tying run. Barber walked the next hitter, and was relieved by Stu Miller. Miller finished up the no-hitter, but the go ahead run scored on an error, giving the Tigers a 2-1 win without the benefit of a hit. The Reds’ Jim Maloney also walked ten (and struck out twelve) in no-hitting the Cubs 3-0 in ten innings on August 19, 1965.
Most walks in a nine-inning “solo” no hitter by one pitcher: Nine by A.J. Burnett as his Marlins topped the Cubs 3-0 on May 12, 2001. Burnett also hit one batter and threw one wild pitch.
Most no-hitters thrown under the influence of LSD: One by Dock Ellis, see post of June 12, 2013.
Now here’s your multiple no-hitter list:
Seven no-hitters: Nolan Ryan
Four: Sandy Koufax
Three: Larry Corcoran, Bob Feller, Cy Young
Two: Homer Bailey, Mark Buehrle, Jim Bunning, Carl Erskine, Bob Forsch, Pud Galvin, Roy Halladay, Ken Holtzman, Randy Johnson, Addie Joss, Dutch Leonard, Jim Maloney, Christy Mathewson, Hideo Noma, Alllie Reynolds, Frank Smith, Warren Spahn, Bill Stoneman, Virgil Trucks, Johnny Vander Meer, Justin Verlander, Ed Walsh, Don Wilson
For more on no-hitters, see BBRT 2012 posts of Sept. 29, August 16, July 15 and June 9.
