Bill Center, longtime sportswriter for U-T San Diego, is an employee of the Padres.
Yes, the Padres remain the only team in Major League history without a no-hitter.
Starter Tyson Ross and reliever Brad Hand combined on the 29th one-hitter in Padres history on Friday night at Chase Field in Phoenix, Ariz. Officially, it was the 21st close call for the Padres, although only five have gone longer than the 7 2/3-inning gem spun by Ross.
Here is the list of the five that lasted longer. And, by the way, Franchy Cordero's bad break on Christian Walker's double to center was not the first time a defensive miscue resulted in the ending of a Padres no-hit bid.
In chronological order, these are the longest no-hit bids in Padres history:
1. July 21, 1970: Right-hander Clay Kirby no-hit the Mets for eight innings at San Diego Stadium. But with the Padres trailing, manager Preston Gomez elected to pinch-hit for Kirby in the bottom of the eighth. Bud Harrelson singled off reliever Jack Baldschun to open the ninth.
2. July 18, 1972: Right-hander Steve Arlin allowed no hits over 8 2/3 innings against the Phillies at San Diego Stadium. With Philadelphia's Denny Doyle at the plate, third baseman Dave Roberts was playing in. But with two strikes on Doyle, the Padres failed to move Roberts back to his normal depth. Doyle hit a bad-hop single over the drawn-in Roberts.
3. Sept. 5, 1997: Atlanta's Kenny Lofton led off the ninth, hitting a full-count pitch from right-hander Andy Ashby to right for a single.
4. Sept. 7, 2008: Milwaukee pinch-hitter Joe Randa broke up right-hander Christopher Young's bid with a two-run homer with two out in the ninth.
5. July 9, 2011: The Dodgers' Juan Uribe hit a two-out double in the ninth off right-handed reliever Luke Gregerson, who was the fifth pitcher working San Diego's no-hit bid at Dodger Stadium. Aaron Harang started the game and was followed by Josh Spence, Chad Qualls and Mike Adams.
Two other Padres no-hit bids lasted 7 2/3 innings -- the most recent before Friday night by Odrisamer Despaigne against the Mets on July 20, 2014, at Petco Park.
Notebook:
• Ross threw a career-high 127 pitches on Friday night in his bid for the first no-hitter in Padres history. His previous career high was 120 pitches on July 2, 2014, against the Reds while pitching for the Padres. His 10 strikeouts were one shy of his career high, which he accomplished twice. Over his last two starts, Ross has allowed two runs (one earned) on eight hits and four walks with 15 strikeouts in 13 2/3 innings -- lowering his ERA from 5.25 to 2.81.
• Cordero's 489-foot blast on Friday is the third-longest ever at Chase Field and the longest ever by a visitor, traveling four feet farther than the July 2, 2012, blast launched by then-Padres center fielder Cameron Maybin. The record at Chase Field is 504 feet by Adam Dunn of the D-backs on Sept. 27, 2008. Cordero's was also the longest homer in the Major Leagues this season.
• Third baseman Christian Villanueva has a hit in seven straight games, the longest streak by a Padres hitter this season. Villanueva is 11-for-21 (.524) during the streak -- with two doubles, three homers, eight RBIs and seven runs scored. He has also drawn six walks during the streak, with two hit-by-pitches. During the streak, Villanueva has a .655 on-base percentage and a 1.048 slugging percentage -- good for a 1.702 OPS.
• Meanwhile, the Padres' two hottest hitters over the first three weeks of the season are experiencing their first dry spells. Outfielder Jose Pirela is 0-for-17 in his last seven games, as his average dropped from .324 to .264. Shortstop Freddy Galvis is 1-for-18 (.056) over the last four games, dropping his batting average from .316 to .253.
• Hand has a win and five saves in seven straight scoreless appearances -- including two in which he struck out all four outs he recorded. During the run, Hand has allowed two hits and a walk with 13 strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings, lowering his ERA from 4.50 to 1.59.