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This season, the MLB has seen 3 pitchers pitch no-hitters, all of them National League pitchers. That would all change today though when Mariners’ pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma would pitch his 1st career no-hitter in a 3-0 win over the Baltimore Orioles. This would also mark the 1st American League no-hitter since teammate Felix Hernandez pitched a perfect game in 2012.
Kuma getting mobbed by teammates. #KumaNoNo #GoMariners pic.twitter.com/h3wjIb8oHB
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) August 12, 2015
Iwakuma also becomes the 2nd Japanese pitcher since Hideo Nomo, who pitched two; and pitches the 5th no-hitter in Mariners history in his 1st career complete game and 88th career start.
Iwakuma would pitch a 1-2-3 9th inning to complete the no-hitter but would get much-needed support from the defense behind him in the final half-inning.
Kyle Seager would capture the first out of the historic bottom half when David Lough popped up a pitch towards the 3rd base seats but it would fall just shy of the seats and Seager, who made two big plays in that final inning, made the over-the-shoulder catch to get the first out of the inning.
Seager would make the putout of the inning as well when Manny Machado grounded the 1-2 offering from Iwakuma straight to the glove of Seager, who could afford to take his time throwing to Logan Morrison at first for the out
History would be made for Iwakuma when Gerardo Parra hit the Iwakuma pitch to shallow left-center field, where Austin Jackson settled under it, ending the game and the no-hitter drought.
The no-hitter is a much needed one for Mariners’ fans. The Mariners have suffered a poor season overall totaling a record of 54-61, with Iwakuma’s injury earlier this season being a low point to the year.
This season, Iwakuma has been up and down for the Mariners, posting a 3-2 record with an ERA of 4.41. The no-hitter increases Iwakuma’s record to 4-2 while decreasing his ERA to a solid 3.86.