Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Matt Garza just tossed the fifth no-hitter of the year, a 5-0 victory over the Detroit Tigers. Garza had one walk and pitched to the minimum number of batters. Garza joins Dallas Braden who on May 9th, pitched a perfect game in a 4-0 win over Tampa Bay. Edwin Jackson had a no no on June 26th, as the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Rays 1-0. Before that the Phillies’ Roy Halladay pitched a 1-0 perfect game over the Marlins on May 29th. Early in the year, on April 17th the Rockies, Ubaldo Jimenez started the entire process off with a 4-0 no-hitter of the Braves. . (Well actually this would have been the sixth no-hitter of the season, if it wasn’t for one of the worse calls in baseball history. But I digress.)
A few things to note here. First off, by the Rays being involved in three no-hitters this year, they are the first team since 1917 that has played in three no-hitters in a season. This was also the first no hitter in Rays’ history. That makes the Mets and Padres the only two teams in baseball without a no-hitter. (Though the Mets have been no hit a few times.)
Does this shear number of no nos mean the end of the steroid era? No idea really. The last year there were this many no hitters was 1991 when there were seven. Eight years later, Mark McGuire and Sammy Sosa both hit over 60 steroid aided homers. So you can make your own conclusions. As an ex-pitcher (albeit a poor college one) end of steroid era or not I’m glad to see the pitchers having a good year. Maybe if this keeps up 2010 will have more no hitters than 91. It already have more perfect games, 91 only had one.
