Matt Garza Tosses No-Hitter
Matt Garza set a new franchise record Monday night by throwing the first-no hitter in Tampa Bay Devil Ray history in a 5-0 win over the Detroit Tigers. The win kicked-off a four-game set against the Tigers at Tropicana Field. The Devil Rays have now won three games in a row, as well as four in their last five.
Garza, who improved his record to 11-5, faced 27 hitters striking out six and only walking one batter. Detroit outfielder Brennan Boesch was the only Tiger to reach base after drawing a walk in the second inning. but his efforts were eventually erased after outfielder Ryan Raburn hit into an inning-ending double play.
It was sweet-relief for the Devil Rays after being the victim of two no-hitters earlier in the season. On May 9, the Okland A’s defeated Tampa Bay after Dallas Brayden tossed a perect game. Then on June 25, the Devil Rays lost to the Arizona Diamond Backs on the hands of Edwin Jackson’s no-hit effort. The Devil Rays were also victim to a no-hitter last season after Mark Buehrle of the Chicago White Sox tossed a perfect game on July 23, 2009.
"I don't care who it came from, we needed one," said the 26-year-old Garza, who tied a career high with his 11th win. "We've been on way too many of those in the last year. We've seen three of those and we've seen some almost happen. We needed one just for our own confidence."
With history being made by Garza and Tampa Bay, it now leaves just the New York Mets and the San Diego Padres as the only two teams in Major League Baseaball to have not thrown a no-hitter.
Detroit pitcher Max Scherzer was also throwing a solid game of his own after keeping the Devil Rays hitless after five innings. The dueling no-hitters almost carried over into seven innings, however outfielder Matt Joyce hit a grand slam with two outs in the sixth inning. Outfielder Carl Crawford also added a solo homerun in the eighth inning. Ben Zobrist started the sixth-inning rally after drawing a walk with one out. He then moved to second after Crawford reached base on catcher interference. After Evan Longoria reached base with a walk, Carlos Pena then struck out to leave Joyce with the bases loaded with two outs. After hooking a pitch foul down the right field line off a 3-1 count, Joyce then smacked the ball off the right field foul pole on the next pitch.
"I honestly had the approach where I was going to hit a hard ground ball up the middle," Joyce said. "You know, 3-2, it was a fastball and I put good wood on it."
Scherzer dropped his record to 7-8 after allowing four runs (three earned), on two hits, eight strikeouts and four walks over 5 2/3 innings. The Tigers have now dropped three of their last four games.
"It really demoralizes us, because we need a win," Scherzer said of the no-hitter.
Garza ended up throwing 120 pitches including 80 strikes to throw the fifth no-hitter in the major leagues this season. It also marked the first time in nearly 20 years that at least five no-hitters were thrown in one season. The last time that was achieved was in the 1991 season.
"I threw a perfect game when I was 11, but that's about it," Garza said. "That's the closest I got to a no-hitter. I've had two-hitters, one-hitters. I had one in Miami in '08, but I think this one takes the cake."
In the ninth inning, Garza got Don Kelly to ground-out to second for the first out. He then retired Gerald Laird after he was caught looking on a called third strike. Garza then made history after getting pinch-hitter Ramon Santiago to fly out into shallow right field.
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