In baseball, the ultimate accomplishment is to pitch a no-hitter – a game in which a pitcher does not allow a single hit. It is a feat so rare, in fact, that it has been accomplished just 298 times in the more than 200,000 games played in Major League Baseball history. But has a team ever won a game in which its pitcher threw a no-hitter? It’s a question that has intrigued baseball fans for years, and the answer is yes – it has happened.
No-Hitters That Led to Wins
The first time a team won a game in which its pitcher threw a no-hitter was in the National League on August 5, 1876. In this game, the Louisville Grays’ pitcher George Bradley took the mound and threw a 5-0 shutout against the Chicago White Stockings. It was the first no-hitter in Major League Baseball history, and it also resulted in a win for the Grays.
Since then, there have been many more no-hitters that resulted in wins. In fact, of the 298 no-hitters in Major League Baseball history, almost two-thirds of them (179 to be exact) were complete-game shutouts that resulted in wins.
No-Hitters That Ended in Losses
But not all no-hitters resulted in wins. Of the 298 no-hitters in MLB history, there have been 119 that ended in losses, with the team’s pitcher throwing a no-hitter but not getting the win. This can happen for a variety of reasons, but the most common is due to errors or lack of offensive support from the team’s hitters.
For example, on April 2, 1967, the Kansas City Athletics’ pitcher Catfish Hunter threw a no-hitter against the Minnesota Twins, but his team lost the game 1-0. This was because the Athletics’ defense committed three errors in the game, resulting in the Twins scoring the only run of the game.
No-Hitters That Ended in Ties
There have also been no-hitters that ended in ties. In these games, the pitcher throws a no-hitter but the game ends in a tie due to a lack of scoring. This has happened five times in Major League Baseball history, most recently in the American League on April 11, 2016, when the Baltimore Orioles’ pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez threw a no-hitter against the Toronto Blue Jays, but the game ended in a 0-0 tie due to a lack of offense from both teams.
No-Hitters That Ended in Postponements
Finally, there have been no-hitters that ended in postponements. In these games, the pitcher throws a no-hitter but the game is postponed due to weather or other factors before it can be completed. This has happened four times in Major League Baseball history, most recently on May 7, 1991, when the Seattle Mariners’ pitcher Randy Johnson threw a no-hitter against the Detroit Tigers, but the game was postponed due to rain before it could be completed.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is possible for a team to win a game in which its pitcher throws a no-hitter. In fact, it has happened 179 times in Major League Baseball history. However, it is also possible for a pitcher to throw a no-hitter and not get the win, due to errors or lack of offensive support from the team’s hitters. It is also possible for a pitcher to throw a no-hitter and have the game end in a tie or be postponed before it can be completed.