Stats and facts from Mariners pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma’s no-hitter
Aug 12, 2015, 5:28 PM | Updated: 5:36 pm
(AP)
Here’s a breakdown of stats and facts from Hisashi Iwakuma’s no-hitter in the Mariners’ 3-0 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday afternoon, many of which are courtesy of ESPN Stats & Information:
• Iwakuma’s no-hitter is the fifth in Mariners history, following Randy Johnson (1991), Chris Bosio (1993), a six-pitcher effort (2012), and Felix Hernandez (2012).
• The no-hitter broke a streak of 12 straight MLB no-hitters thrown by National League pitchers, dating back to 2012.
• It is also the third-straight American League no-hitter to be thrown by the Mariners.
• Iwakuma is the second Japanese pitcher to ever throw a no-hitter in an MLB game. Hideo Nomo threw two, once as a Dodger in 1996 and another for the Red Sox in 2001.
• At 34, Iwakuma is the oldest American League pitcher to throw his first no-hitter since 36-year-old David Cone for the Yankees in 1999.
• Iwakuma is also the oldest pitcher to throw a no-hitter since Randy Johnson threw one at 40 years old for Arizona in 2004.
• Iwakuma took advantage of an impatient Orioles lineup, throwing just 41 percent of pitches in the strike zone, the lowest of his career. As a result, six of his seven strikeouts came on pitches out of the zone.
• The no-hitter lays claim to four firsts: It’s the first caught by Mariners catcher Jesus Sucre, the first called by home plate umpire Jeff Nelson, the first ever thrown on Aug. 12, and the first thrown by a pitcher whose last name starts with the letter ‘I’.
• Sucre becomes the second player on the Mariners roster to catch a no-hitter. Current Seattle first baseman/designated hitter Jesus Montero caught the six-pitcher game in 2012.
• Safeco Field has been home to four no-hitters since it opened in 1999, the most in the majors since that year. In addition to the Mariners’ no-nos, Chicago White Sox pitcher Philip Humber tossed a perfect game against the M’s in 2012. All four Safeco no-hitters have occurred in the past four seasons.