Just over two months into the 2012-2013 Major League Baseball season, we've witnessed five no-hitters, one combined no-hitter, and two perfect games. In the 2011-2012 season, there were a total of three no-hitters and not one perfect game. Since 2009, there have been 15 no-hitters (including combined no-hitter by Seattle Mariners) and five perfect games.
The first to start this trend of the pitching phenomena was Chicago White Sox pitcher, Philip Humber. When he pitched his perfect game at Seattle on Saturday, April 21st, it was only his second start of the season. Humber had nine strikeouts and 0.63 ERA in a 4-0 victory. Wednesday, May 2nd, Los Angeles Angels pitcher, Jered Weaver threw a no-hitter against Minnesota Twins. Weaver had nine strikeouts, one walked batter, and 1.61 ERA in a 9-0 win. On April 1st, New York Mets LHP, Johan Santana made history by pitching the Mets first ever no-hitter since the franchise was established 44 years ago. Santana struck out eight batters, gave up five walks, and threw 134 pitches in an 8-0 win over the St. Louis Cardinals. The Seattle Mariners are the first team since June 11, 2003 when the Houston Astros defeated the New York Yankees 8-0. The Astros used six pitchers to complete their combined no-hitter. The Mariners coincidentally used six pitchers as well in their combined no-hitter against the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 1-0 win. The most impressive pitcher performance in the MLB was pitched by Matt Cain, the No. 2 pitcher in the San Francisco Giants rotation. He managed to pitch the Giants first perfect game in franchise history as he shut down the Houston Astros on June 13th. Cain struck out 14 Astros and threw 125 pitches, as the Giants beat the Astros in a 10-0 dominating victory.
This week alone, there were three one-hit games. Jason Hammel (RHP Baltimore Orioles) and Ervin Santana (RHP Los Angeles Angeles) both threw one-hit shutouts last night (June 16, 2012) against the Atlanta Braves and Arizona Diamondbacks, respectively. It is extraordinary to have two pitchers throw one-hitters and is the first time since 2002 (10 years), that two pitchers threw one-hit shutouts on the same day. New York Mets RHP R.A. Dickey pitched a controversial one-hitter on Wednesday, against the Tampa Bay Rays. The only hit allowed was in the first inning, when Mets third baseman David Wright mishandled a difficult ground ball hit by speedster B.J. Upton. The Mets tried to appeal the ruling of a hit, to be changed to an error so R.A. Dickey would be awarded a no-hitter. The Mets lost the appeal because Upton may have beat the play out even if Wright didn't mishandle to grounder.
Only a few years ago, we were in the era of the hitters and steroid scandals. Have times changed in the majors, to a dominant pitching league? Should R.A. Dickey have been awarded a no-hitter? Who will be the next pitcher to make MLB history?
Just over two months into the 2012-2013 Major League Baseball season, we've witnessed five no-hitters, one combined no-hitter, and two perfect games. In the 2011-2012 season, there were a total of three no-hitters and not one perfect game. Since 2009, there have been 15 no-hitters (including combined no-hitter by Seattle Mariners) and five perfect games.
Only a few years ago, we were in the era of the hitters and steroid scandals. Have times changed in the majors, to a dominant pitching league? Should R.A. Dickey have been awarded a no-hitter? Who will be the next pitcher to make MLB history?
