Sunday, May 25, 2014

More On Beckett's No-Hitter

List of all the Dodgers' no-hitters:

  • Josh Beckett, May 25, 2014. Dodgers 6, Phillies 0.
  • Hideo Nomo, Sept. 17, 1996. Dodgers 9, Rockies 0.
  • Ramon Martinez, July 14, 1995. Dodgers 7, Marlins 0.
  • Kevin Gross, Aug. 17, 1992. Dodgers 2, Giants 0.
  • Fernando Valenzuela, June 29, 1990. Dodgers 6, Cardinals 0.
  • Jerry Reuss, June 27, 1980. Dodgers 8, Giants 0.
  • Bill Singer, July 20, 1970. Dodgers 5, Phillies 0.
  • * Sandy Koufax, Sept. 9, 1965. Dodgers 1, Cubs 0.
  • Sandy Koufax, June 4, 1964. Dodgers 3, Phllies 0.
  • Sandy Koufax, May 11, 1963. Dodgers 8, Giants 0.
  • Sandy Koufax, June 30, 1962. Dodgers 5, Mets 0.
  • Sal Maglie, Sept. 25, 1956. Dodgers 5, Phillies 0.
  • Carl Erskine, May 12, 1956. Dodgers 3, Giants 0.
  • Carl Erskine, June 19, 1952. Dodgers 5, Cubs 0.
  • Rex Barney, Sept. 9, 1948. Dodgers 2, Giants 0.
  • Ed Head, April 23, 1946. Dodgers 5, Braves 0.
  • Tex Carleton, April 30, 1940. Dodgers vs. Reds
  • Dazzy Vance, Sept. 13, 1925. Dodgers 10, Phillies 1.
  • Nap Rucker, Sept. 5, 1908. Superbas 6, Braves 0.
  • Mal Eason, July 20, 1906. Superbas 2, Cardinals 0.
  • Tom Lovett, June 22, 1891. Grooms 4, Giants 0.
(*) Perfect game. Previously known as the Robins, Superbas, Bridegrooms and Grooms.

On the other 23 Dodgers no-hitters:

The Dodgers hadn't enjoyed a no-no since Hideo Nomo accomplished the feat against the Rockies on Sept. 17, 1996. There have been 11 no-hitters since the franchise moved to Los Angeles in 1958.

Nomo did it at hitter-friendly Coors Field, the first no-hitter in the ballpark's history. He also became the first pitcher born in Japan to toss a no-hitter in the Major Leagues. Nomo struck out eight and walked four.

Sandy Koufax threw four no-hitters, one in each season from 1962-65. Three of those games came at Dodger Stadium -- including Koufax's perfect game against the Cubs on Sept. 9, 1965. That's the only perfect game in the history of the Dodgers.

Koufax also no-hit the Mets and Giants at home, and the Phillies on the road. The Hall of Famer is the only Dodgers pitcher with more than two no-hitters.

Bill Singer held the Phillies hitless on July 20, 1970, the club's only no-hitter of the decade.

The Dodgers then went without a no-no for nearly 10 years, until Jerry Reuss ended the drought on June 27, 1980, in San Francisco.

Another decade passed before Fernando Valenzuela no-hit the Cardinals on June 29, 1990. Valenzuela had the second no-hitter in baseball that day. Oakland's Dave Stewart completed his no-hitter in Toronto roughly 30 minutes before Valenzuela took the mound at Dodger Stadium.

Angels manager Mike Scioscia caught Valenzuela's no-hitter, and he was also behind the plate two years later when Kevin Gross no-hit the Giants on Aug. 17, 1992.

Ramon Martinez fired a no-hitter against the Marlins on July 14, 1995, with Mike Piazza catching. Piazza also caught Nomo's no-hitter.

Meanwhile, it was Dodgers backup catcher Drew Butera's second time catching a no-no:

PHILADELPHIA -- It's still something new, even for those who have witnessed, participated in and even caught a Major League no-hitter.

That's where Drew Butera found himself on Sunday afternoon, again a big part of baseball history as he caught the second no-hitter of his career during Josh Beckett's first career no-no. Butera, who caught Francisco Liriano's no-hitter on May 3, 2011, in the Twins' 1-0 win over the White Sox, admitted it's something he'll never get used to.

"I was a nervous wreck from the fourth inning on," said Butera, who worked with Beckett over a 128-pitch afternoon. "He told me he had never gotten a no-hitter into the fourth and I'm like, great, now I'm off my thinking pattern. But he said it every inning. You try not to think too far ahead. One hitter and one pitch at a time. It never gets old."

2 comments:

Dusty Baker said...

We would have had a field day with that pitcher named Ed Head.

Dusty Baker said...

Also a great reminder that Sandy did it in four straight years (62-65), capped by the fourth one being a perfect game. Sick.