John Means pitched the Baltimore Orioles’ first no-hitter in 30 years, and the organization’s first no-hitter by a lone pitcher since all-time great Jim Palmer in 1969, as the Orioles defeated the host Seattle Mariners 6-0 Wednesday afternoon.
The only baserunner Means allowed came on a strikeout. With one out in the bottom of the third, Seattle’s Sam Haggerty swung and missed a 1-2 pitch low and in the dirt. The ball skipped past catcher Pedro Severino and went all the way to the backstop, allowing Haggerty to reach first base without a throw on the wild pitch.
Haggerty was erased on the bases when he was caught stealing. John Means is the first pitcher in MLB history to fail to record a perfect game despite facing the minimum of 27 batters without a hit, walk, hit-by-pitch or an error.
Baltimore’s most-recent no-hitter came July 13, 1991 at Oakland when Bob Milacki, Mike Flanagan, Mark Williamson and Gregg Olson combined to accomplish the feat.
Here’s a look at how the game ended with John Means finding himself in the record books.
JOHN MEANS HAS THROWN A NO-HITTER ‼️
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 5, 2021
Only one Mariner reached base and it was on a wild pitch after a strikeout pic.twitter.com/M6qIRBTHPa
This continued a tremendous start to the 2021 MLB season for the 28-year-old left-hander. Means now boasts a 4-0 record with a 1.37 ERA while striking out 50 batters compared to just 10 walks in seven starts.
Means’ no-hitter was the third thrown in the majors this season, following San Diego’s Joe Musgrove and the Chicago White Sox’s Carlos Rodon. Obviously, there were some big reactions to this feat.
The John Means Story.
— The Exit 52 Podcast (@Exit52Podcast) May 5, 2021
– Drafted out of HS in 2011.
– Gets hurt, goes to college.
– Not recruited to a D1, goes to a JUCO.
– Ends up at West Virginia.
– Drafted by the O's in 2015.
– Called up in 2018.
– All-Star as a rookie in 2019.
– Throws a no hitter in 2021.
Unreal. pic.twitter.com/WSljLTP969
Congrats to Orioles ace John Means on his no-hitter over the Mariners. Close to perfection — only blemish was a strikeout with the batter reaching first on a wild pitch. Fantastic!
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) May 5, 2021
I'm sorry but John Means really had a perfect game and the dropped third strike rule absolutely sucks.
— Britt Ghiroli (@Britt_Ghiroli) May 5, 2021
John Means created a LinkedIn profile a few years ago ready to give up baseball. Now he’s a top of the line starter and just threw a no hitter. Such an easy fella to root for
— Eric Hubbs (@BarstoolHubbs) May 5, 2021
Sure, John Means didn’t throw a perfect game, but he did throw the coolest no-hitter in baseball history.
— Céspedes Family BBQ (@CespedesBBQ) May 5, 2021
I AM SO HAPPY FOR JOHN MEANS pic.twitter.com/m9qOrWqmVj
— Locked On Orioles (@LockedOnOrioles) May 5, 2021
John Means is the first Orioles pitcher to throw an individual no-hitter since Jim Palmer in 1969.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) May 5, 2021
That snaps the longest active streak without an individual no-hitter among current franchises.
Baltimore threw a combined no-hitter in 1991. pic.twitter.com/MTNU010iI4
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