Dodgers 23-year-old right-hander Walker Buehler in just his third major-league start did the heavy lifting in a combined no-hitter of the Padres on Friday night at Estadio Monterrey in Monterrey, Mexico.
Here's the final out ...
Walker worked six hitless before being lifted after throwing 93 pitches. From there, relievers Tony Cingrani, Yimi Garcia, and Adam Liberatore closed out the 12th combined no-hitter in major-league history. It's the 23rd no-hitter in Dodgers franchise history, which is the highest team total by a significant margin.
As for the particulars, the four Dodger hurlers combined for 13 strikeouts, five walks, and 146 pitches. Buehler went 1 for 3 at the plate, so, yes, he out-hit the entire Padres' lineup on the night. Also, this no-hitter made for a couple of MLB firsts ...
- Per the AP, it's the first major-league no-hitter to take place outside of the U.S. or Canada.
- Per STATS, it's the first time in MLB history that a no-hitter and a 3,000th hit have taken place on the same day. (Albert Pujols is of course the author of said 3,000th hit.)
Oh, and speaking of Mr. Pujols and no-hitters ...
June 3, 2017:
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) May 5, 2018
- Albert Pujols hits his 600th HR
- Edinson Vólquez throws a no-hitter for the Marlins
May 4, 2018:
- Albert Pujols gets his 3,000th hit
- Dodgers throw a combined no-hitter
Part of the backdrop to Friday's no-hitter was of course the setting. It's the first time since 1999 that a regular-season MLB game has been played in Mexico. As for Estadio Monterrey, it seems an unlikely venue for a no-hitter ...
#Padres/#Dodgers playing in Mexico tonight
— Derek Carty (@DerekCarty) May 4, 2018
Estadio Monterrey park facts for #DFS:
- 2nd highest elevation (after Coors)
- 8th shallowest fences (est.)
- Above-avg. foul ground
- Just 4 prev. MLB games
- THE BAT projects solid hitters' park
- 77°, 75% hum, 9 mph to CF (+rain risk)
That altitude and those shallow fences at least in theory worked worked against Buehler and company on Friday night, but nevertheless the Padres failed to register a hit. Here's the setting ...
Estadio de Béisbol is almost ready!
— FOX Sports San Diego (@FOXSportsSD) May 3, 2018
Dodgers vs. @Padres in Monterrey, Mexico tomorrow at 5:30 PM on FSSD and FSGO. ⚾️🇲🇽 pic.twitter.com/vWMbHssslc
And speaking of elevation ...
The #mountains of #Monterrey pic.twitter.com/OuHIwMsPrD
— Murray Cook (@cookmurray) May 4, 2018
Circling back to those notable on-field events, here's the final out as heard and seen from the upper deck ...
Dodgers no hitter at Monterrey #Mexico !!! pic.twitter.com/vc52IbeEfE
— Fernando Del Río (@FernandoDelRio) May 5, 2018
The most important takeaway? The Orioles' mascot appeared to be in attendance for some reason ...
Good news @andy_keatts they brought the Baltimore Oriole to Monterrey pic.twitter.com/zmO7XNLExf
— HJ Preller (@HJPreller) May 5, 2018
All right.