On Sunday, Kevin Slowey pitched seven no-hit innings. Instead of coming back out with a 4-0 lead to put his name into history, he was removed from the game by Ron Gardenhire. The game was Slowey’s first game after some elbow problems, and he had already thrown 106 pitches. The Twins’ manager put the pitcher’s health and future above his potential personal achievements. This is not the first time this has happened to a pitcher. There have been five times in the past in which a pitcher had finished seven innings with a no-hitter and had been removed from the game. In this week’s Top 5, I take a look at these events and games. Therefore, this week’s Top 5 is The Top 5 Pitchers That Have Been Pulled From a No-Hitter After Seven Innings.
Note: Complete Games in which a pitcher gave up no –hits and lost the game is not counted as the pitcher was not removed from the game as the game had ended. In addition, rain shortened games were not considered.
May 3, 2002 – Damian Moss, Atlanta Braves vs. St. Louis Cardinals
Moss, a rookie was making his 6th career start for the Braves. After seven innings, he had a no-hitter going against the Cardinals that featured a lineup of players such as J.D. Drew, Albert Pujols and Tino Martinez. Moss had thrown 116 pitches and was pulled by Bobby Cox, who simple felt Moss had pitched enough. He had walked seven and had only two 1-2-3 innings. After he was removed, Moss sat in the dugout and spoke to Tom Glavine as the relief pitcher Mike Remlinger gave up a one out hit to Fernando Vina in the 8th inning. The Braves did hold on to get Moss the 2-1 victory.
September 2, 1996 – David Cone, New York Yankees vs. Oakland A’s
Everyone knows that David Cone is one of those special pitchers that have thrown a perfect game. However, before that David Cone was unsure he would ever pitch again. Cone started the 1996 season with a 4-1 record and a 2.03 ERA. However, he was having numbness in his fingers and it was discovered to have an aneurysm in his right shoulder. After surgery, Cone was out for four months and made his return against the A’s who had Jason Giambi, Mark McGwire and Scott Brosius in their lineup. After throwing 85 pitches, Joe Torre decided to pull Cone as had not pitched in four months prior to this game. Torre commented after wards that he was more concerned for Cone’s health than the no-hitter. Jose Herrera singled off of Mariano Rivera with one out in the ninth inning as the only hit the A’s got that day. That was the only hit as the Yankees beat the Athletics 5-0,
April 11, 1990 – Mark Langston, California Angels vs. Seattle Mariners
Mark Langston was the big free agent acquisition of the Angels before the 1990 season. The season was just a few days old when Langston took the mound against the Mariners. Langston faced two above the minimum and threw 99 pitches in his first seven innings. This was a season with a shortened pre-season due to a lockout so manager Doug Rader decided to pull his new acquisition. To replace Langston, Rader brought in Mike Witt who pitched a perfect game in 1984. Witt pitched a perfect eighth and ninth inning and the two combined for the last no-hitter pitched for the California/Anaheim Angels.
September 4, 1974 – Don Wilson, Houston Astros vs, Cincinnati Reds
Pitching against the beginnings of the Big Red Machine (Pete Rose, Joe Morgan, Johnny bench, Tony Perez, et al), Wilson breezed through the first four innings with no issues. In the fifth inning, Cesar Geronimo walked as did George Foster. After a sacrifice bunt to bring the runners to second and third, an error by shortstop Roger Metzger allowed two runs to score for the Reds. Leading off the bottom of the eight, Wilson was pinch hit for by Tommy Helms after the Astros had scored in the 7th inning and was only down by one run. In the end, the Reds did not score and neither did the Astros as the Wilson no-hitter was wasted.
July 21, 1970 – Clay Kirby, San Diego Padres vs. New York Mets
In the top of the first inning of the game against the Mets, Kirby opened up by Walking Tommie Agee and with one out also walked Ken Singleton. After a double steal, Agree scored on a groundout. Kirby gave up a run without giving up a hit. He pitched the next seven inning without giving up a hit and was down 1-0 after eight inning and was removed for a pinch hitter by manager Preston Gomez. Pitcher Jack Baldschun came in, gave up three hits and two more runs as the Mets defeated the Padres 3-0.
