Braves Minor League team throws back-to-back no-hitters

MiLB team throws back-to-back no-hitters

By Dakota Gardner

June 28, 2014

Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum made history this week, throwing the second no-hitter of his career. Not to be outdone, the Lynchburg Hillcats (Class A affiliates of the Braves) decided to throw two no-hitters of their own ...

In back-to-back games.

On Thursday, Hillcats ace Lucas Sims and reliever Alex Wilson teamed up to strike out nine batters en route to their first no-no of the week, beating the Wilmington Blue Rocks 5-1.

Then, on Friday, the no-hit heroes were pitchers Cody Scarpetta and Benino Pruneda. They also struck out nine batters, but were able to keep the Blue Rocks scoreless, finishing the game 5-0.

"I've never seen or heard of it, two straight no-hitters," Scarpetta said after the game. "It's pretty crazy."

Scarpetta was actually perfect through six innings in his start, before allowing a walk to Blue Rocks left fielder Terrance Gore. But while some pitchers try not to think about making history, it was all that was on the young right-hander's mind:

"Honestly, every inning I went out there, I was thinking, 'Well that's 11 consecutive innings of no hits ... that's 12 ... '" he said. "Every pitch, it's kind of in your head. But once I got out there, I was locked in and trying to make my pitches."

Of course, on the other side of the field, getting no-hit twice in a row is not fun. The Blue Rocks have now gone 20 2/3 innings without a hit, dating back to the seventh inning of their game on Wednesday. Manager Darryl Kennedy was not happy:

"Last night was the first time I've ever been a part of a no-hitter against us, for a team that I was affiliated with. I've had some no-hitters, I've caught a few no-hitters and managed a few perfect games, but never have I been no-hit. And then, to do it back-to-back, I'm speechless."

But, at the end of the day, history is history -- and this is some pretty special and unique history:

It's believed to be the first time in Carolina League history in which a team has thrown no-hitters on consecutive days against the same opponent, although consecutive no-nos on the same day has happened before, oddly enough.

The feat's so rare, it hasn't even been done in MLB history:

Though no team in history has tossed a no-hitter in consecutive games, the feat has been done in consecutive days. On May 5, 1917, Ernie Koob of the St. Louis Browns threw a no-hitter against the Chicago White Sox, winning 1-0. The next day, in the second game of a doubleheader, teammate Bob Groom did the same thing, winning 3-0.

As for the Hillcats, check out radio broadcaster Erik Wilson's call of their historic final out: