I’ve watched thousands of games, but the Los Angeles Angels still gave me a moment I’ve never seen before.
Former Long Beach State star Jered Weaver and reliever Jose Arredondo combined to pitch eight innings of no-hit baseball June 28 against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium, yet still lost, 1-0. Officially, the game won’t even be recorded as a no-hitter.
According to Major League Baseball rules: “An official no-hit game occurs when a pitcher (or pitchers) allows no hits during the entire course of a game, which consists of at least nine innings. In a no-hit game, a batter may reach base via a walk, an error, a hit by pitch, a passed ball or wild pitch on strike three, or catcher’s interference.” So because the Dodgers didn’t have to bat in the ninth inning, it becomes the no-hitter that wasn’t — just the third occurrence since baseball’s expansion era began in 1961.
Also, for just the fifth time since 1900, and first since 1992, a pitcher (or pitchers) allowed a hit and still lost the game.
But another unique, funny nugget about baseball happened in the same game.
Leading off the fifth inning, Dodgers center fielder Matt Kemp hit a squibber toward the first base side of the mound with the type of bizarre English only seen on the putting greens of a golf course.
With the ball curving back toward Weaver, he mishandled the ball and Kemp was safe at first. Initially, the Dodger Stadium scorekeeper ruled the play a hit, which wouldn’t have even made this column possible. However, they later changed the scoring to an error on Weaver — something you’ll only see watching a baseball game. A person in the press box, and not on the field, controlled the fate and history encompassed in that one measly play.
Another great nuance of the game is the National League pitcher/American League designated hitter argument, which also occurred in the same game since it was interleague play. NL pitchers must bat when a game is played in an NL stadium, while AL games implement the DH rule, which allows any player not already playing a position to bat in the lineup.
With Weaver due up in the seventh and the Angels’ slumping offense in desperate need for runs, manager Mike Scioscia elected to pull Weaver for pinch-hitter Chone Figgins. Had the game been played at Angel Stadium and the DH rule been in effect, Weaver would’ve more than likely pitched at least one more inning with a pitch count below 100.
All sports follow a unique set of rules, but only in baseball will you find a different set for two leagues that play the same exact game at the professional level.
The best part about it: There’s no rational explanation that would make sense.
Just like sitting in front of a TV watching a no-hitter that wasn’t.
