Ronald Herrera and Jonathan Holder combined to throw a nine-inning no-hitter on Tuesday night as Double-A Trenton shutout New Hampshire, 4-0. It was the second nine-inning no-hitter in team history, and the first since Tyler Clippard accomplished the feat in 2006.
Herrera, in his fourth start of the season for the Thunder, held New Hampshire hitless over eight innings, issuing just two walks and also hitting a batter. The 20-year-old right-hander struck out five and induced 11 ground-ball outs, throwing 69 of his 105 pitches for strikes. Holder replaced Herrera for the ninth and delivered a perfect frame, striking out two of the three hitters he faced to seal Trenton's no-hitter.
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"He didn't have his best command of his fastball early in the game, but he was able to mix in his changeup and breaking stuff," Thunder pitching coach Jose Rosado said of Herrera to MiLB.com. "I think that helped him through the first three innings."
Signed by Oakland out of Venezuela in 2011, Herrera spent parts of three seasons in the A's system before being traded to San Diego along with Jake Goebbert for Kyle Blanks in May 2014. He was traded once again last offseason, this time going to the Yankees in exchange for Jose Pirela in November.
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While he's pitched to mixed results throughout his career, Herrera is 3-0 for Trenton, during which he's allowed three earned runs in 21 innings. Holder, already pitching at his second level of the season after a pair of dominant relief appearances with Class A Advanced Tampa, has been a force for the Thunder out of the bullpen, posting a 1.06 ERA and 15/1 K/BB in 8 1/3 innings.
"I'm thinking I'm gonna do my best to give Herrera what he deserves," Holder told MiLB.com. "I was focused on staying within myself and stick to my game plan and execute pitches and try to get the swing and miss. I was so excited, especially for Herrera. I'm thankful to be part of something that goes in history here in Trenton."