Matt Garza took the headlines away from Alex Rodriguez’s pursuit of 600 home runs and became the first Rays pitcher to ever throw a no-hitter, leaving the Padres and Mets as the only teams without a no-hitter.
And in what style: during a game being shown on ESPN and only facing 27 hitters. Of course the no-hitter required excellent fielding plays, like one by Ben Zobrist in right field.
A great game by both pitchers—Detroit pitcher Max Scherzer carried a no-no through six.
The ninth inning began with Don Kelly grounding out to short, Gerald Laird striking out, and Santiago flying out to right. His six strikeouts aren’t a hoard amount, but he threw 120 pitches. Garza didn’t do the traditional sit-on-the-end-of-the-bench routine, but instead hung out with guys like he was just throwing an average game. Garza never showed signs of fatigue—his fastball hit 96 mph in the ninth inning. He used that fastball to work hitters high and then throw his misleading breaking ball low and out.
Have you ever that time-old expression about why baseball is the greatest game ever played? “You can’t sit on a lead and run a few plays into the line and just kill the clock. You’ve got to throw the ball over the goddamn plate and give the other man a chance.” -Earl Weaver.
“Since baseball time is measured in outs, all you have to do is succeed utterly. Keep hitting the ball, keep the rally alive, and you have defeated time. You will be forever young.” -Roger Angell.
Two of the greatest sports-related quotes of all time. Baseball is the greatest sport ever.
After Matt Garza’s no-hitter tonight, I thought why baseball is great. There is no other thing like a no hitter.
In football, the greatest feat you can get is probably 300 rushing yards. In basketball, it’s probably scoring 60+ points. In hockey, five goals. This stuff usually doesn’t happen, though. A no-hitter is so exciting; it’s all or nothing. Those others are just great games if they don’t happen.
No hitters are so thrilling—the thought of a perfect game, the downfall after a walk, the intensity of whether or not a play will be ruled an error, the easy going ninth inning following the heart racing eighth—here’s a stat for you—more than 60 percent of no hitters broken up after the sixth inning are broken in the eighth. Less than three in the ninth.
Baseball is a man’s game—you have to play through the whole game, instead of pussing out and running out the clock. You have to “throw the ball over the goddamn plate and give the other man his chance.”
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