Joe Musgrove stymies Rangers for first no-hitter in Padres history

[April 10, 2021]  Joe Musgrove, a San Diego County native who grew up a Padres fan, threw the first no-hitter in franchise history Friday night, beating the Texas Rangers 3-0 in Arlington, Texas.

Musgrove came within one hit batter of a perfect game, as he plunked Joey Gallo on the right hip with two outs in the fourth. Musgrove (2-0) struck out 10 and retired Isiah Kiner-Falefa on a grounder to shortstop Ha-Seong Kim to end the game.

Musgrove, a 28-year-old right-hander, threw 112 pitches in his second start of the season. He has allowed only three hits in 15 scoreless innings this season with 18 strikeouts and no walks. Going back to last season, Musgrove has worked 31 consecutive scoreless innings.

Padres manager Jayce Tingler said, "The perfect story has been written."

The Padres had gone 8,205 games without a no-hitter since becoming a National League expansion team in 1969. They were the lone major league team without a no-hitter and have had 30 one-hitters in their history.

The Padres acquired Musgrove from the Pittsburgh Pirates in a three-team January deal that also involved the New York Mets.

"I never dreamed of throwing a no-hitter," Musgrove said after the game. "I had never thrown a no-hitter anywhere in my life.

"I have to give a lot of the credit here to Vic (Caratini, his catcher). He seemed to know when they were taking the first pitch and when they were swinging. He was all over it. I was just riding the high, going with adrenaline."

Musgrove had never thrown more than 108 pitches in a game before. The no-hitter was also his first career complete game in his 110th outing (85th start).

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Joe Musgrove (44) delivers a pitch against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jim Cowsert-USA TODAY Sports

The closest the Rangers came to a hit was a line drive to right by Nate Lowe in the fourth (immediately following the Gallo hit-by-pitch), a sharp Jose Trevino grounder to the right of shortstop Kim to end the fifth and Trevino's line drive to Wil Myers in right to end the eighth.

The Padres took a 2-0 lead in the second and added a run in the third against Texas right-handed starter Kohei Arihara (0-1).

Eric Hosmer drew a walk to open the second and scored on Myers' double to left-center, just beating the tag by catcher Trevino.

Myers scored on an error by center fielder Leody Taveras, who caught Tommy Pham's drive to deep right-center then dropped the ball as he was transferring it from his glove. Myers raced home as the ball rolled 20 feet away from Taveras.

Trent Grisham, who came off the injured list earlier Friday, doubled with one out in the third and scored on Manny Machado's two-out double to the wall in left-center.

--Field Level Media
 

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