Iwakuma Tosses No-Hitter In Seattle's 3-0 Win Over Orioles

SEATTLE (AP) -- Hisashi Iwakuma became the second Japanese-born pitcher in major league history to throw a no-hitter, leading the Seattle Mariners to a 3-0 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday.

Iwakuma struck out seven and walked three in the fourth no-hitter this season and first by an American League pitcher in nearly three years. Hideo Nomo threw two no-nos after starting his career in his home country of Japan.

"I was aware of it obviously, but I felt it real deep in my heart in the ninth inning," Iwakuma said through a translator. "Just focusing on one hitter at a time and I'm glad I got it done."

Philadelphia's Cole Hamels -- prior to his trade to Texas -- Washington's Max Scherzer and San Francisco's Chris Heston all tossed no-hitters this season.

Third baseman Kyle Saeger made a nifty over the shoulder catch in foul territory to start the ninth, but the 34-year-old Iwakuma needed little help in completing his first career complete game and the Mariners' fifth no-hitter.

Teammate Felix Hernandez's perfect game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Aug. 15, 2012, was the last time an AL pitcher did not allow a hit. There have been 15 no-hitters by NL pitchers since then.

(Copyright 2015 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Read more
f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.