• No-Hitters Broken Up in the Ninth Inning Since 1961
  
• Summary of No-Hitters Broken Up in the Ninth Inning Since 1961
  
• All Perfect Games Broken Up with Two out in the Ninth Inning
  
• All Other No-Hitters Broken Up with Two out in the Ninth Inning
  
• Near No-Hitter Trivia
  

No-hitters are memorable events, and baseball fans get excited when they see one in the making. Some perk up as early as the fourth inning, although most wait until a pitcher gets into the sixth or seventh inning before getting too worked up. They know that, even at this point, the odds of the pitcher completing the no-hitter are still against him.

At what point do the odds of a no-hitter favor the pitcher? A look at games played since 1961, the beginning of the expansion era, indicates that not until a pitcher keeps his no-hitter into the ninth inning does it become more likely than not that he’ll complete his no-hitter—at least through the nine innings. (This study looks at no-hitters that survive the ninth inning. For most, that is the end of the no-hitter; however, some are carried into and broken up in extra innings. Although these are not considered official no-hitters, they will be counted as no-hitters here for purposes of comparison. Since 1961, Jim Maloney and Mark Gardner had no-hitters broken up in extra innings in 1965 and 1991, respectively, and Pedro Martinez had a perfect game broken up by a hit in extra innings in 1995. No-hitters of fewer than nine innings—including the eight-inning no-hitters by Andy Hawkins in 1990, Matt Young in 1992, and Jeff Weaver-Jose Arredondo in 2008—are not counted.)

Since 1961, approximately 50 percent of no-hitters carried into the ninth made it through the ninth. After the first out of the ninth is recorded, the percentage increases to between 60 and 65 percent. And no-hitters that are still alive with two out in the ninth have a survival rate of nearly 80 percent.

Below is a list of no-hitters broken up in the ninth inning since 1961, along with the name of the spoiler and the number of outs when the first hit occurred as well as the total number of hits the previously no-hit team finished the game with. (When more than one pitcher is listed, it means the last pitcher is the one who gave up the first hit. Relief pitchers who entered a game after it was broken up are not included in the list.)

# Perfect game broken up

1961      1 no-hitter kept through 9 innings; 1 broken up in the ninth
9/27, Al Schroll, Minnesota vs. Cleveland, Don Dillard (0 out-2 hits total)

1962      5 no-hitters; 2 broken up in the ninth
5/1, Bill Stafford/Roland Sheldon/Marshall Bridges, New York Yankees at Chicago White Sox, Nellie Fox (0 out-2 hits total)
5/22, Whitey Ford/Jim Coates, New York Yankees vs. Los Angeles Angels, Bob Rodgers (1 out-1 hit total in 12 innings)

1963      3 no-hitters; 4 broken up in the ninth
5/11, Ted Bowsfield, Kansas City at Minnesota, Vic Power (0 out-2 hits total)
7/29, Joel Horlen, Chicago White Sox at Washington, Chuck Hinton (1 out-2 hits total)
8/27 (1st game), Jim Bouton, New York Yankees vs. Boston, Russ Nixon, (0 out-2 hits total)
8/4, Johnny Podres, Los Angeles Dodgers at Houston, Johnny Temple (0 out-1 hit total)

1964      3 no-hitters; 2 broken up in the ninth
4/18, Jim Maloney/John Tsitouris, Cincinnati vs. Los Angeles Dodgers, Frank Howard (2 out-1 hit total)
6/26 (first game), Gerry Arrigo, Minnesota vs. Chicago White Sox, Mike Hershberger (0 out-1 hit total)

1965      4 no-hitters (including Maloney’s); 0 broken up in the ninth

1966      1 no-hitter; 2 broken up in the ninth
9/25, Ken Holtzman, Chicago Cubs vs. Los Angeles Dodgers, Dick Schofield (0 out-2 hits total)
#9/30, Larry Dierker, Houston at New York Mets, Ed Bressoud (0 out-2 hits total)

1967      4 no-hitters; 2 broken up in the ninth
4/14, Billy Rohr, Boston at New York Yankees, Elston Howard (2 out-1 hit total)
4/16 (2nd game), Steve Barber, Baltimore at California, Jim Fregosi (1 out-1 hit total)

1968      5 no-hitters; 2 broken up in the ninth
6/1, Dean Chance, Minnesota at Chicago White Sox, Bill Voss (1 out-3 hits total)
6/7 (1st game), Blue Moon Odom, Oakland vs. Baltimore, Dave Johnson (2 out-1 hit total)

1969      6 no-hitters; 5 broken up in the ninth
5/15, Dave McNally, Baltimore at Minnesota, Cesar Tovar (1 out-1 hit total)
5/31, Joe Sparma, Detroit at Seattle, Don Mincher (1 out-1 hit total)
#7/9, Tom Seaver, New York Mets vs. Chicago Cubs, Jim Qualls (1 out-1 hit total)
8/10, Mike Cuellar, Baltimore vs. Minnesota, Cesar Tovar (0 out-1 hit total)
9/13, Larry Dierker, Houston at Atlanta, Felix Millan (2 out-7 hits total in 13 innings)

1970      4 no-hitters; 4 broken up in the ninth
6/4, Jim Rooker, Kansas City at New York Yankees, Horace Clarke (0 out-6 hits total in 12 innings)
6/19, Sonny Siebert, Boston vs. New York Yankees, Horace Clarke (0 out-4 hits total)
7/2, Joe Niekro, Detroit at New York Yankees, Horace Clarke (1 out-1 hit total)
7/21, Clay Kirby/Jack Baldschun, San Diego vs. New York Mets, Bud Harrelson, (0 out-3 hits total)

1971      3 no-hitters; 2 broken up in the ninth
4/16, Juan Marichal, San Francisco vs. Chicago Cubs, Ken Rudolph (0 out-2 hits total)
7/18 (2nd game), Luke Walker, Pittsburgh vs. Los Angeles, Joe Ferguson (0 out-1 hit total)

1972      3 no-hitters; 4 broken up in the ninth
6/18, Jerry Reuss, Houston vs. Philadelphia, Larry Bowa (0 out-1 hit total)
7/4 (1st game), Tom Seaver, New York Mets vs. San Diego, Leron Lee (1 out-1 hit total)
7/11, Marty Pattin, Boston at Oakland, Reggie Jackson (1 out-1 hit total)
7/18, Steve Arlin, San Diego vs. Philadelphia, Denny Doyle (2 out-2 hits total)

1973      5 no-hitters; 4 broken up in the ninth
6/13, Rick Wise, St. Louis at Cincinnati, Joe Morgan (1 out-1 hit total)
#6/16, Jim Palmer, Baltimore vs. Texas, Ken Suarez (1 out-2 hits total)
7/6, Ron Schueler, Atlanta at New York Mets, Ron Hodges (0 out-2 hits total)
8/21, Stan Bahnsen, Chicago White Sox at Cleveland, Walt Williams (2 out-1 hit total)

1974      3 no-hitters; 5 broken up in the ninth
#5/27 (1st game), Ken Brett, Pittsburgh vs. San Diego, Fred Kendall (0 out-2 hits total)
7/15, Wayne Garland, Baltimore vs. Oakland, Dick Green (0 out-4 hits total)
7/20, Doc Medich, New York Yankees vs. Kansas City, Fran Healy (0 out-2 hits total)
8/7, Nolan Ryan, California at Chicago White Sox, Dick Allen (1 out-3 hits total)
9/4, Don Wilson/Mike Cosgrove, Houston vs. Cincinnati, Tony Perez (0 out-1 hit total)

1975      3 no-hitters; 3 broken up in the ninth
6/8, Ken Holtzman, Oakland at Detroit, Tom Veryzer (2 out-1 hit total)
7/2 (1st game), Rick Wise, Boston at Milwaukee, George Scott (2 out-2 hits total)
9/24, Tom Seaver, New York Mets at Chicago, Joe Wallis (2 out-4 hits total in 11 innings)

1976      4 no-hitters; 7 broken up in the ninth
5/2, Rudy May, New York Yankees at Kansas City, Amos Otis (0 out-3 hits total in 11 innings)
5/26, Ken Brett, Chicago White Sox at California, Jerry Remy (2 out-2 hits total in 11 innings)
6/4, Andy Messersmith, Atlanta at Montreal, Pepe Mangual (1 out-1 hit total)
7/23, Doyle Alexander, New York Yankees vs. Boston, Rick Burleson (0 out-3 hits total)
8/7, Steve Luebber, Minnesota at Texas, Roy Howell (2 out-2 hits total)
8/28, Vida Blue, Oakland vs. Detroit, Mickey Stanley (1 out-1 hit total)
10/2, Phil Niekro, Atlanta at Cincinnati, Cesar Geronimo (1 out-1 hit total)

1977      3 no-hitters; 0 broken up in the ninth

1978      2 no-hitters; 1 broken up in the ninth
9/26, Mike Flanagan, Baltimore vs. Cleveland, Gary Alexander (2 out-3 hits total)

1979      1 no-hitters; 2 broken up in the ninth
7/13, Nolan Ryan, California vs. New York Yankees, Reggie Jackson (1 out-1 hit total)
7/13, Steve Renko, Boston at Oakland, Rickey Henderson (1 out-1 hit total)

1980      1 no-hitters; 2 broken up in the ninth
4/23, Bruce Kison, California at Minnesota, Ken Landreaux (1 out-1 hit total)
8/20, Dan Spillner, Cleveland vs. Chicago White Sox, Leo Sutherland (1 out-1 hit total)

1981      3 no-hitters; 4 broken up in the ninth
5/6, Bert Blyleven, Cleveland at Toronto, Lloyd Moseby (0 out-2 hits total)
8/25, Dennis Lamp, Chicago White Sox at Milwaukee, Robin Yount (0 out-1 hit total)
9/5, Jim Slaton, Milwaukee at Minnesota, Sal Butera (0 out-3 hits total)
9/12, Bob Ojeda, Boston at New York Yankees, Rick Cerone (0 out-2 hits total)

1982      0 no-hitters; 1 broken up in the ninth
#9/28 (1st game), Jim Clancy, Toronto vs. Minnesota, Randy Bush (0 out-1 hit total)

1983      3 no-hitters; 4 broken up in the ninth
#4/15, Milt Wilcox, Detroit at Chicago White Sox, Jerry Hairston (2 out-1 hit total)
6/26, Storm Davis, Baltimore vs. Detroit, Rick Leach (0 out-2 hits total)
7/31 (2nd game), Jose DeLeon, Pittsburgh at New York Mets, Hubie Brooks (1 out-3 hits total in 12 innings)
8/24, Chuck Rainey, Chicago Cubs vs. Cincinnati, Eddie Milner (2 out-1 hit total)

1984      2 no-hitters; 1 broken up in the ninth
5/12, Mario Soto, Cincinnati vs. St. Louis, George Hendrick (2 out-1 hit total)

1985      0 no-hitters; 3 broken up in the ninth
5/8, Mike Moore, Seattle at Milwaukee, Robin Yount (0 out-4 hits total)
6/6, Jimmy Key, Toronto vs. Detroit, Tom Brookens (0 out-4 hits in 12 innings)
8/24, Dave Stieb, Toronto at Chicago White Sox, Rudy Law (0 out-5 hits total)

1986      2 no-hitters; 4 broken up in the ninth
6/16, Charlie Hough, Texas vs. California, Wally Joyner (1 out-1 hit total)
8/20, Walt Terrell, Detroit vs. California, Wally Joyner (2 out-1 hit total)
#8/20, Don Carman, Philadelphia at San Francisco, Bob Brenly (0 out-1 hit total in 10 innings)
10/1, Danny Jackson, Kansas City vs. California, Dick Schofield (0 out-2 hits total)

1987      1 no-hitters; 3 broken up in the ninth
4/13, Jamie Moyer, Chicago at Philadelphia, Juan Samuel (0 out-3 hits total)
5/5, Eric Bell, Baltimore at Minnesota, Tom Nieto (0 out-5 hits total)
6/7, Mike Jackson, Philadelphia vs. Montreal, Tim Raines (0 out-2 hits total)

1988      1 no-hitters; 8 broken up in the ninth
4/27, Nolan Ryan, Houston vs. Philadelphia, Mike Schmidt (1 out-2 hits total in 10 innings)
#5/2, Ron Robinson, Cincinnati vs. Montreal, Wallace Johnson (2 out-2 hits total)
5/8, Doug Drabek, Pittsburgh vs. San Diego, Randy Ready (0 out-2 hits total)
5/28, Odell Jones, Milwaukee at Cleveland, Ron Washington (1 out-2 hits total)
6/6, Tom Browning, Cincinnati at San Diego, Tony Gwynn (1 out-1 hit total)
6/12, Mike Scott, Houston vs. Atlanta, Ken Oberkfell (2 out-1 hit total)
9/24, Dave Stieb, Toronto at Cleveland, Julio Franco (2 out-1 hit total)
9/30, Dave Stieb, Toronto vs. Baltimore, Jim Traber (2 out-1 hit total)

1989      0 no-hitters; 6 broken up in the ninth
4/23, Nolan Ryan, Texas at Toronto, Nelson Liriano (1 out-1 hit total)
4/28, Kirk McCaskill, California vs. Toronto, Nelson Liriano (0 out-1 hit total)
5/4, John Farrell, Cleveland vs. Kansas City, Kevin Seitzer (0 out-1 hit total)
#7/4, Tom Browning, Cincinnati at Philadelphia, Dickie Thon (0 out-2 hits total)
#8/4, Dave Stieb, Toronto vs. New York Yankees, Roberto Kelly (2 out-2 hits total)
8/10, Nolan Ryan, Texas vs. Detroit, Dave Bergman (1 out-2 hits total)

1990      7 no-hitters (not including Hawkins’s); 5 broken up in the ninth
#4/20, Brian Holman, Seattle at Oakland, Ken Phelps (2 out-1 hit total)
5/27, John Smoltz, Atlanta at Philadelphia, Lenny Dykstra (1 out-2 hits total)
6/13, Trevor Wilson, San Francisco at San Diego, Mike Pagliarulo (0 out-1 hit total)
7/29, Scott Garrelts, San Francisco vs. Cincinnati, Paul O’Neill (2 out-1 hit total)
8/3, Doug Drabek, Pittsburgh at Philadelphia, Sil Campusano (2 out-1 hit total)

1991      8 no-hitters (including Gardner’s); 3 broken up in the ninth
4/10, Scott Sanderson, New York Yankees at Detroit, Tony Phillips (0 out-1 hit total)
4/24, Darryl Kile/Al Osuna/Curt Schilling, Houston vs. Cincinnati, Bill Doran (0 out-3 hits total in 13 innings)
8/14, Randy Johnson, Seattle vs. Oakland, Mike Gallego (0 out-1 hit total)

1992      2 no-hitters (not including Young’s); 2 broken up in the ninth
9/13, Bob Welch/Kelly Downs, Oakland vs. Seattle, Harold Reynolds (1 out-2 hits total)
9/30, Frank Viola, Boston at Toronto, Devon White (0 out-1 hit total)

1993      3 no-hitters; 3 broken up in the ninth
4/6, Jose Guzman, Chicago Cubs vs. Atlanta, Otis Nixon (2 out-1 hit total)
5/16, Randy Johnson, Seattle at Oakland, Lance Blankenship (1 out-1 hit total)
9/29, Tim Pugh, Cincinnati at San Diego, Billy Bean (1 out-1 hit total)

1994      3 no-hitters; 3 broken up in the ninth
4/13, Pedro Martinez, Montreal vs. Cincinnati, Brian Dorsett (0 out-2 hits total)
5/29, David West/Heathcliff Slocumb, Philadelphia vs. Houston, Steve Finley (0 out-3 hits total)
6/13 Jeff Fassero, Montreal vs. Pittsburgh, Carlos Garcia (2 out-3 hits total)

1995      2 no-hitters (including Pedro Martinez’s perfect game through 9); 4 broken up in the ninth
6/17, David Cone, Toronto vs. Texas, Benji Gil (1 out-3 hits total)
7/3, Mike Morgan, St. Louis vs. Montreal, Wil Cordero (1 out-1 hit total)
8/29, Paul Wagner, Pittsburgh vs. Colorado, Andres Galarraga (2 out-1 hit total)
9/25, Frank Castillo, Chicago Cubs vs. St. Louis, Bernard Gilkey (2 out-1 hit total)

1996      3 no-hitters; 1 broken up in the the ninth
9/2, David Cone/Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees at Oakland, Jose Herrera (1 out-1 hit total)

1997      2 no-hitters; 4 broken up in the ninth
4/10, Alex Fernandez, Florida at Chicago Cubs, Dave Hansen (1 out-1 hit total)
5/16, Alan Benes, St. Louis at Atlanta, Michael Tucker (2 out-7 hits total in 13 innings)
#5/30, Mike Mussina, Baltimore vs. Cleveland, Sandy Alomar (1 out-1 hit total)
9/5, Andy Ashby, San Diego vs. Atlanta, Kenny Lofton (0 out-2 hits total)

1998      1 no-hitter; 2 broken up in the ninth
9/13, Andy Benes, Arizona at Cincinnati, Sean Casey (1 out-1 hit total)
9/27, Roy Halladay, Toronto vs. Detroit, Bobby Higginson (2 out-1 hit total)

1999      3 no-hitters; 0 broken up in the ninth

2000      0 no-hitters; 1 broken up in the ninth
8/29, Pedro Martinez, Boston at Tampa Bay, John Flaherty (0 out-1 hit total)

2001      3 no-hitters; 2 broken up in the ninth
7/13, Todd Ritchie, Pittsburgh vs. Kansas City, Luis Alicea (1 out-1 hit total)
#9/2, Mike Mussina, New York Yankees at Boston, Carl Everett (2 out-1 hit total)

2002      1 no-hitter; 1 broken up in the ninth
9/3, Aaron Myette, Todd Van Poppel, Joaquin Benoit, Texas at Baltimore, Jerry Hairston, Jr. (0 out-1 hit total)

2003      2 no-hitters; 0 broken up in the ninth

2004      1 no-hitter; 1 broken up in the ninth
7/25, Eric Milton, Philadelphia vs. Chicago Cubs, Michael Barrett (0 out-3 hits total)

2005      0 no-hitters; 0 broken up in the ninth

2006      1 no-hitter; 3 broken up in the ninth
9/4, Ramon Ortiz, Washington vs. St. Louis, Aaron Miles (0 out-2 hits total)
9/22, Chris Young, San Diego vs. Pittsburgh, Joe Randa (1 out-1 hit total)
9/28, Daniel Cabrera, Baltimore at New York, Robinson Cano (1 out-1 hit total)

2007      3 no-hitters; 3 broken up in the ninth
6/7, Curt Schilling, Boston at Oakland, Shannon Stewart (2 out-1 hit total)
6/24, Dustin McGowan, Toronto vs. Colorado, Jeff Baker (0 out-1 hit total)
#8/31 (2nd game), Scott Baker, Minnesota vs. Kansas City, Mike Sweeney (1 out-1 hit total) [The one-out hit by Sweeney broke up the no-hitter, but the perfect game was broken up by a leadoff walk by John Buck.]

2008      2 no-hitters (not including Weaver-Arredondo’s); 2 broken up in the ninth
5/6, Gavin Floyd, Chicago White Sox vs. Minnesota, Joe Mauer (1 out-1 hit total)
7/29, John Lackey, Los Angeles Angels at Boston, Dustin Pedroia (1 out-2 hits total)

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All Perfect Games Broken Up with Two Out in the Ninth (with single unless otherwise noted)
7/4/1908—George Wiltse, NY Giants vs. Philadelphia Phillies, (hit George McQuillen with pitch; Wiltse finished with a 10-inning no-hitter)
8/5/1932—Tommy Bridges, Detroit vs. Washington, Dave Harris
6/27/1958—Billy Pierce, Chicago White Sox vs. Washington, Ed FitzGerald (2B)
9/2/1972—Milt Pappas, Chicago Cubs vs. San Diego, Larry Stahl (walk; Pappas finished with a no-hitter)
4/15/1983—Milt Wilcox, Detroit at Chicago White Sox, Jerry Hairston
5/2/1988—Ron Robinson, Cincinnati vs. Montreal, Wallace Johnson
8/4/1989—Dave Stieb, Toronto vs. New York Yankees, Roberto Kelly (2B)
4/20/1990—Brian Holman, Seattle vs. Oakland, Ken Phelps (HR)
9/2/2001—Mike Mussina, New York Yankees at Boston, Carl Everett

Through 2001, there have been 18 perfect games completed through nine innings. This includes Don Larsen’s in the World Series as well as games by Harvey Haddix and Pedro Martinez in which the perfect game and no-hitter were lost in extra innings. Of the 27 games in which there was a perfect game through 8-2/3 innings, 18 (66.7 percent) survived as perfect games through the ninth. 20 of the 27 (74 percent) survived as no-hitters through the ninth inning.

All Other No-Hitters Broken Up with Two Out in the Ninth (with single unless otherwise noted)
7/9/1890—George Meakim, Louisville vs. Philadelphia, George “Orator” Shafer
10/5/1890—Frank Knauss vs. Louisville, Chicken Wolf
5/26/1892—John Clarkson, Boston vs. Louisville, Hugh Jennings
7/23/1896—Cy Young, Cleveland vs. Philadelphia, Ed Delahanty
9/9/1899—Doc McJames, Brooklyn vs. Boston, Hugh Duffy
9/27/1904—Bob “Dusty” Rhoads, Cleveland vs. Boston Somersets, Chick Stahl
5/25/1908—Bill Burns, Washington vs. Detroit, Germany Schaefer
7/31/1909—Bill Burns, Chicago White Sox at Washington, Otis Clymer
7/22/1911—Nap Rucker, Brooklyn vs. Cincinnati, Bob Bescher
8/2/1911—King Cole, Chicago vs. Brooklyn, Heinie Zimmerman (2B)
5/16/1914—Jeff Tesreau, NY Giants at Pittsburgh, Joe Kelly
4/14/1915—Herb Pennock, Philadelphia Athletics at Boston Red Sox, Harry Hooper
6/5/1915—Grover Cleveland Alexander, Philadelphia Phillies at St. Louis Cardinals, Arthur Butler
8/16/1915—Bernie Boland, Detroit at Cleveland, Ben Paschal
5/6/1918—Dan Griner, Brooklyn vs. Philadelphia Phillies, Cliff Cravath
6/17/1923—Dazzy Vance, Brooklyn at Cincinnati, Sammy Bohne
9/19/1925—Ted Lyons, Chicago White Sox at Washington, Bobby Veach
6/13/1933—Whitlow Wyatt, Chicago White Sox vs. St. Louis Browns, Tedd Gullic
*8/11/1942—Al Milnar, Cleveland vs. Detroit, Doc Cramer
7/8/1943—Orval Grove, Chicago White Sox vs. New York Yankees, Joe Gordon (2B)
10/3/1947—Floyd “Bill” Bevens, New York at Brooklyn Dodgers, Cookie Lavagetto (2B), World Series
4/26/1952—Art Houtteman, Detroit vs. Cleveland, Harry Simpson
7/4/1954—Mike Garcia/Ray Narleski/Early Wynn, Cleveland vs. Chicago White Sox, Minnie Minoso
4/18/1964—Jim Maloney/John Tsitouris, Cincinnati vs. Los Angeles Dodgers, Frank Howard
4/14/1967—Billy Rohr, Boston at New York Yankees, Elston Howard
6/7/1968—Blue Moon Odom, Oakland vs. Baltimore, Dave Johnson
*9/13/1969—Larry Dierker, Houston at Atlanta, Felix Millan
7/18/1972—Steve Arlin, San Diego vs. Philadelphia, Denny Doyle
8/21/1973—Stan Bahnsen, Chicago White Sox at Cleveland, Walt Williams
6/8/1975—Ken Holtzman, Oakland at Detroit, Tom Veryzer
7/2/1975—Rick Wise, Boston at Milwaukee, George Scott (HR)
*9/24/1975—Tom Seaver, New York Mets at Chicago Cubs, Joe Wallis
*5/26/1976—Ken Brett, Chicago White Sox at California, Jerry Remy
8/7/1976—Steve Luebber, Minnesota at Texas, Roy Howell
9/26/1978—Mike Flanagan, Baltimore vs. Cleveland, Gary Alexander (HR)
9/23/1983—Chuck Rainey, Chicago Cubs vs. Cincinnati, Eddie Milner
5/12/1984—Mario Soto, Cincinnati vs. St. Louis, George Hendrick (HR)
8/20/1986—Walt Terrell, Detroit vs. California, Wally Joyner
6/12/1988—Mike Scott, Houston vs. Atlanta, Ken Oberkfell
9/24/1988—Dave Stieb, Toronto at Cleveland, Julio Franco
9/30/1988—Dave Stieb, Toronto vs. Baltimore, Jim Traber
7/29/1990—Scott Garrelts, San Francisco vs. Cincinnati, Paul O’Neill
8/3/1990—Doug Drabek, Pittsburgh at Philadelphia, Sil Campusano
4/6/1993—Jose Guzman, Chicago Cubs vs. Atlanta, Otis Nixon
6/13/1994—Jeff Fassero, Montreal vs. Pittsburgh, Carlos Garcia
8/29/1995—Paul Wagner, Pittsburgh vs. Colorado, Andres Galarraga
9/25/1995—Frank Castillo, Chicago Cubs vs. St. Louis, Bernard Gilkey (3B)
*5/16/1997—Alan Benes, St. Louis at Atlanta, Michael Tucker
9/27/1998—Roy Halladay, Toronto vs. Detroit, Bobby Higginson (HR)
6/7/2007—Curt Schilling, Boston at Oakland, Shannon Stewart

*Indicates the game was scoreless and the no-hitter would not have been completed at this point even if the batter had been retired. (In the case of Frank Knauss on October 5, 1890, he would have completed the no-hitter even though the game was scoreless because the game was stopped after nine innings.)

The late William Ruiz, the late Keith Sutton, and the still-living Steve Boren, past and present members of the Society for American Baseball Research, were helpful in assembling the list of no-hitters broken up with two out in the ninth.

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Near No-Hitter Trivia

• Sometimes players are credited with breaking up a no-hitter if they have their team’s only hit (or hits) in the game. By this definition, Cesar Tovar, Billy Williams, and Eddie Milner hold the record by each having broken up five no-hitters. However, in only three of these instances was the no-hitter broken up in the ninth inning—by Milner in 1983 and by Tovar twice in 1969.

• The most frequent spoiler of the expansion era is Horace Clarke of the New York Yankees, who broke up three no-hitters in the ninth inning, all within a month in 1970. Nelson Liriano of the Toronto Blue Jays broke up two no-hitters within a week in April of 1989.

• One of the no-hitters Liriano broke up was by Nolan Ryan. Ryan holds the major league record for the most no-hitters as well as the most one-hitters. He also had a no-hitter broken up in the ninth five times. The National League record-holder for one-hitters, Steve Carlton, never pitched a no-hitter nor did he ever carry one into the ninth inning.

• Tom Seaver experienced ninth-inning disappointment three times, once having a perfect game broken up, before finally pitching a no-hitter in 1978. The real tough-luck pitcher, however, is Dave Stieb, who had a no-hitter broken up in the ninth in 1985, then two—both with two out in the ninth and one on a bad-hop single—in his final two starts of the 1988 seaons. The following August, he had a perfect game spoiled by Roberto Kelly with two out in the ninth. Stieb, like Seaver, did eventually complete a no-hitter.

• Perhaps the closest play to break up a no-hitter with two out in the ninth was Carlos Garcia’s infield hit off Jeff Fassero in July of 1994. Garcia hit a liner back at Fassero, who thought he had caught it. The moment of hesitation, as Fassero looked vainly into his glove and finally discovered the ball near the edge of the mound, was costly as he grabbed the ball and fired too late to get Garcia at first.

• Tom Browning and Mike Mussina have twice taken perfect games into the ninth inning. Browning pitched a perfect game in 1988 and had one broken up with no out in the ninth by Dickie Thon in 1990. Mussina lost a perfect game on a one-out single by Sandy Alomar in 1997 and a two-out single by Carl Everett in 2001.

• Preston Gomez’s legacy as a manager includes twice pinch-hitting for a pitcher who had a no-hitter through eight innings but still trailed in the game. One was Clay Kirby in July of 1970, the other Don Wilson (who had already pitched two no-hitters in his career) in September of 1974. In both cases, the relief pitcher was unable to complete the no-hitter in the ninth inning.

• Except for Ken Landreaux’s one-out double in the ninth, Bruce Kison would have been the holder of the most lopsided no-hitter ever, as his Angels beat the Twins, 17-0, in April of 1980.

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