Jacob deGrom nearly threw the sixth no-hitter in franchise history with his seven no-hit innings against the Orioles.
After Jacob deGrom nearly joined the list of Texas Rangers pitchers to throw a no-hitter with his seven no-hit innings against the Orioles, it’s time to take a look at franchise’s history of no-hitters.
DeGrom, who took a perfect game into the seventh inning and a no-hitter into the eighth inning, would have been the first Rangers pitcher to throw a no-hitter since 1994. While he would have been the fifth pitcher to do so, it would have been the sixth no-hitter in franchise history because Rangers legend Nolan Ryan threw two of them in his time with Texas.
Here is the list of Rangers pitchers that made history with no-hit outings.
1. Kenny Rogers’ perfect game: July 28, 1994Rangers
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Rogers threw the only perfect game in franchise history in 1994, blanking the California Angels in a 98-pitch effort.
It was the 12th perfect game in baseball’s modern era (since 1900) and is one of just 24 perfect games in baseball history.
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Rogers’ eight-strikeout effort remained perfect thanks to Rusty Greer. Rex Hudler hit a sinking line drive to right-center field and Greer laid out for one of the most iconic plays in franchise history. Fittingly enough, Greer caught the fly ball for the game’s final out.
The Rangers won the game 4-0.
Advertisement2. Nolan Ryan: May 1, 1991
The 44-year-old Ryan threw his seventh and final no-hitter at the old Arlington Stadium, extending his record for most no-hitters in a career (no one else has thrown more than four).
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He shut down the Blue Jays in a 3-0 win to the tune of 16 strikeouts and two walks. Ryan was so dominant that he only allowed four balls to be hit out of the infield.
“This was the furthest thing from my mind,” Ryan said after the game. “When I woke up, I had more aches and pains. I physically had a bad day. Old age.”
The late Gerry Fraley properly framed the magnitude of Ryan’s accomplishment in the May 2, 1991 editions of The Dallas Morning News.
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“To grasp the magnitude of what Ryan accomplished, consider his final victim. When Ryan pitched his first two no- hitters with California in 1973, his second baseman was Sandy Alomar. Roberto Alomar is Sandy Alomar’s 23-year-old son who as a child asked Ryan to help him become a pitcher.”
3. Nolan Ryan: June 11, 1990
Ryan threw his sixth career no-hitter and first of two that he would throw in a Rangers uniform in 1990 against the Oakland Athletics.
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Dealing with an aching back, the 43-year-old Ryan became the oldest pitcher in baseball history to throw a no-hitter and was the first to throw no-hitters for three different teams.
In the outing against Oakland, he racked up 14 strikeouts and walked just two batters. On top of that, all 14 strikeouts were swinging. Ryan’s no-hitter was even more surprising because he had been dealing with a back issue, hadn’t won a game in nearly two months and was 0-3 with an 8.86 ERA in his previous six starts.
The Rangers players carried Ryan off the field on their shoulders after the game. Even the Oakland fans were chanting his name by the end of Rangers’ 5-0 win.
Advertisement4. Bert Blyleven: Sept. 22, 1977
Blyleven no-hit the Angels in his final start of the 1977 season at Anaheim Stadium, less than 10 miles from his hometown of Garden Grove, Calif.
Given his homecoming, he left 28 tickets for family and friends, and his loved ones witnessed him throw a no-hitter in Texas’ 6-0 win. As he neared the no-hitter, Angels fans began to root for him, even giving him a standing ovation when he went to the mount for the ninth inning.
“I wish I could have thrown it in Arlington for the fans there,” Blyleven told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.”But if I had to pick another spot, this would be it. (The fans) were super.”
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Blyleven only allowed two baserunners and struck out seven batters in the outing. The two baserunners reached on a third-inning error and a ninth-inning walk.
5. Jim Bibby: July 30, 1973
Bibby’s no-hitter was the first in Rangers history, coming in the team’s second season in Texas.
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He no-hit the Oakland Athletics in Texas’ 6-0 win as the 6-foot-5, 230-pound right-handed pitcher shut down an Oakland team that went on to win the World Series that year.
Interestingly, he hadn’t been on the Rangers long. He was traded to Texas by the Cardinals in June and fired the no-hitter in his 10th start with the Rangers.
Bibby struck out 13 and walked six en route to the no-hitter that required 148 pitches from Bibby.
“You couldn’t dig in against him because he was wild,” Oakland’s Reggie Jackson said afterwards. “He’s close to Nolan Ryan.”
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