Carlos Zambrano is no longer the last pitcher in MLB to throw a no-hitter. Last night, SF Giants’ southpaw Jonathan Sanchez (26) pitched a no-hitter against the SD Padres, winning 8-0.
It was by no means a regular start. Sanchez has been 2-8 with an ERA of 5.43 and had been demoted to the bullpen for three weeks and only started because Randy Johnson was put on the disabled list earlier in the week with a shoulder injury. Sanchez had a perfect game going until the 8th inning when ex-SOX Juan Uribe made an error at 3rd base. But it was more than offset by another ex-SOX Aaron Rowand’s spectacular leaping catch at the fence in center for the second out in the 9th. The final out was a called third strike. 111 pitches – 77 strikes.
Perhaps Sanchez was inspired by his father and brother in the stands. He had gone 50 starts in the majors without even a complete game and the first game his father got to see him pitch as a starter was a near perfect game. (It was on Sanchez’s part.) Quite a moment — they let his dad be in the dugout to congratulate Sanchez when he came off the field. Here father and son are hugging. Video of last pitch, his dad and brother’s reaction to it and Sanchez’s clubhouse reception.
(Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle)
Big (and getting bigger) Z threw his on September 14, 2008 in a make-up game held in Wrigley North — Milwaukee’s Miller Park. It was a “home” game for Houston — because of Hurricane Ike — and even though there was less than 24 hours notice – the park was jammed with 23, 000 Cubfans. Because of the last minute scheduling I was unaware of the game. The first Cub game I missed in over five years was a no-hitter. I wasn’t the only one. So many fans didn’t get to see it – it was on Comcast instead of WGN - that they had to replay it.
Carlos hit a batter and gave up one walk. Derek Lee and Mark DeRosa each made a great defensive play. But watching a game you know is a no-hitter is not at all exciting.
Houston wanted to put an asterisk next to it because of all of the Cubfans. True. If you didn’t know better, you would think he pitched it in his home park. But no matter where the game was played he still had to get 27 batters out. And it wasn’t like the game mattered for Houston or the Cubs.
How many pitchers missed out on no-hitters because of the steroid cheaters?
No comments:
Post a Comment