Homer Bailey Pitches First No-Hitter of 2013

Homer Bailey has thrown the second no-hitter of his career tonight. (Image Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports)

Homer Bailey has thrown the first no-hitter of the 2013 season tonight against the San Francisco Giants, outdueling Tim Lincecum and leading the Cincinnati Reds past the team by a final score of 3-0. Bailey was perfect through six innings before allowing a leadoff walk to Gregor Blanco in the 7th. Blanco’s poor base running two batters later eliminated the closest that the Giants would come to recording a hit as the team was unable to get any other runners on base before they ran out of outs.

This was the 16th no-hitter in Reds history and the first coming at Great American Ball Park. The Reds have only once seen a perfect game, thrown by Tom Browning in 1988.

Bailey struck out eight and walked just the one batter in what is the second no-hitter of his career. He actually threw the last no-hitter that we’ve seen in the Major Leagues, that game coming last September 28th at the Pittsburgh Pirates. Bailey walked one and struck out ten that night. He’s the first pitcher since Nolan Ryan to throw the last no-hitter of one season and the first of the next. Ryan’s feats came on September 28th, 1974 (against the Minnesota Twins) and June 1st, 1975 (against the Baltimore Orioles).