Matt Harvey pitches near perfect game with a bloody nose

ByThis Day in Baseball

The legend of Matt Harvey keeps growing. The Mets’ sophomore starter is perfect against the White Sox before allowing a two-out single to Alex Rios in the 7th. He is removed after allowing only that hit through 9 innings, but with the game still scoreless, having fanned a career-high 12 opponents. Pinch-hitter Mike Baxter lines an RBI single off Nate Jones in the 10th for a 1 – 0 Mets victory, credited to reliever Bobby Parnell. It is the second time Harvey has taken a no-hitter into the 7th inning this year and he is 4-0 with a 1.28 ERA. It is just the third game in history in which a team allows only one baserunner in an extra-inning game according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

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JA Happ skull faractured by Desmond Jennings kine drive

ByTom

Toronto’s 6 – 4 win over the Rays is overshadowed by a scary accident suffered by starting pitcher J.A. Happ. In the 2nd inning, Desmond Jennings lines a pitch that strikes the side of his head and caroms into the outfield. Happ lies motionless on the ground, as teammates are unsure whether to rush to attend their stricken teammate, or play the ball which ends up as a two-run triple. The bloodied Happ is removed on a stretcher after lying prone for 10 minutes; his injuries will turn out to include a skull fracture and a sprained knee suffered when he fell to the ground, but he will be back on the mound by August.

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Justin Verlander fires second no hitter in a week

ByTom

Justin Verlander pitches the second no-hitter in the majors in less than a week, following Francisco Liriano’s gem on May 1st, when the Tigers shut down the Blue Jays, 9 – 0. Only an 8th-inning walk to J.P. Arencibia, who is then erased in a double play, keeps Verlander from a perfect game. Verlander becomes the 28th pitcher in major league history with two no-hitters.

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No Soup For You

ByTom

Appearing in his familiar chef’s whites, the Soup Nazi, played by actor Larry Thomas, makes an appearance at Citi Field. Although he mouths the infamous phrase, “No soup for you!”, when shown on the scoreboard screen, the character from the Seinfeld show generously gives away DVD prizes to Met fans who correctly answer trivia questions about the sitcom.

Jamie Moyer becomes the oldest pitcher in major league history to throw a shutout

ByThis Day in Baseball

On May 7, 2010 Philadelphia Phillies Jamie Moyer still baffles opposing hitters at age 47 becomes the oldest pitcher in major league history to throw a shutout when he blanks Atlanta, 7-0, and the first to accomplish the feat in four different decades. The Phillies right-hander, who is 47 years and 170 days, easily surpasses…

Twins suffer first rainout in 30 years

Twins suffer first rainout in 30 years

ByThis Day in Baseball

The Minnesota Twins suffered their first rainout at home since 1980, being forced by weather to re-schedule today’s game against the Orioles as part of a day-night doubleheader on May 8th. The Twins played indoors at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome from 1982 to 2009, before moving to outdoors Target Field this year. However interestingly enough, they also did not have a rainout in 1980 or 1981 before moving indoors.