Johan Santana Pitches First No Hitter In New York Mets History
The New York Mets started playing baseball in 1962, but it took 50 years for them to grab their first no-hitter:
NEW YORK — It took 50 years, but the New York Mets and Johan Santana finally have their no-hitter.
The 33-year-old Santana held the Cardinals hitless in an 8-0 victory Friday in front of 27,069 at Citi Field, who witnessed the first no-hitter in franchise history. The left-hander walked five as his pitch count climbed to 134, but manager Terry Collins could not pull his starter, who Collins said he would limit to about 110 pitches before the game.
“Wow — amazing,” Santana said after the game. “Coming into this season, I was just hoping to come back and stay healthy and help this team. And now I’m in this situation in the greatest city in baseball. I’m very happy, and I’m happy for [the fans], finally — the first one.
“It was a crazy night, trying to command my fastball, moving all over the plate. But I was able to locate it, command it and get some quick outs and get out of there.”
When asked how he felt after throwing the final pitch, Santana could hardly contain his excitement.
“That’s the greatest feeling ever,” Santana said, just as he received a celebratory pie to the face.
It has been a rather ironic history for the somewhat hapless Mets. Over their half-century of history they have been the home of some of the best pitchers in modern baseball history. Nolan Ryan, Tom Seaver, Dwight Gooden, David Cone. Those are just four of the names of great pitchers that once played for the Mets, but achieved one of baseball’s ultimate goals wearing the uniform of a different team. But now, that curse has been broken.
San Diego Padres? You’re the only team left without a no-hitter.
Photo via ESPN
Another former Twin makes good in a larger market. Thus it always will be.
Being born in Rochester NY and living my gradeschool years during the ’50s I was a Brooklyn Dodgers fan. I hated the Yankees. I was 9 years old when the announcement was made that the Dodgers and the Giants were moving west. I was crushed.
Several years later when I read in the paper that there would be a new team in NYC called the Metropolitians, Managed by Casey Stengel and made up of veteran (old) players from the Dodgers, the Giants and the Yankees I was ecstatic!
My dad was not so enthusiastic “A new team like that will need young players.” I never heard a word he said.
By the time the Mets actually played a game our family had moved to Illinois and from then on it was the Cubs forever for me.
My take on Mets-Cardinals games has always been “If there was only a way both those teams could lose I’d like to see it!”
Not tonight. 50 years is a long time. The Cubs have had five no-hitters since the Mets have been playing. Good on ya Santana!
Too bad the “Old Perfessor” didn’t get to see it.
It took 50s years and a missed call on Carlos Beltran’s hit . . .
Time for a baseball joke- Casey Stengel goes to heaven. When he gets there, God calls him on the phone and asks him to raise a baseball team. Looking around Casey sees all the great players- Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Walter Johnson etc. It will be the greatest team ever.
The Devil calls soon afterwards. He challenges Casey to a baseball game.
Casey- “But I have all the ballplayers.”
The Devil- “Yes but I have the umpires.”
Tom Seaver threw four one-hitters as a New York met. Everyone remembers Jimmy Qualls breaking up Tom Terrific’s perfect game bid in 1969 but fewer remember Leron Lee breaking up a Seaver no-no in the 9th inning of a 1972 game. Another spoiler was Mike Compton. Mike, Jimmy, and Leron Who?
@Bill Jempty:
And then, to make things worse for the poor Mets fans, Seaver gets traded to the Reds and pitches his no-hitter for Cincinnati one year and one day after leaving the Mets.
It was tough growing up a Met fan living in the Bronx in the late 70s.
By the way, I hope umpire Adrian Johnson gets a save, that was clearly a double down the line by Beltran in the 6th
MLB umpires are constantly found to be out of position to make simple calls, like those at the 1st base bag, or line drives over the 1st or 3rd base bag, Those kind of plays should be reviewable by instant replay.
Santana did an excellent job that night. No one can doubt it. I’d like to see more no-hitters from him and the Mets.