Four Nashville Pitchers Combine For Season’s Sixth No-Hitter

Without question, this has been the Year of the No-Hitter in the minor leagues. In a season that has spanned just 62 days, minor league pitchers have thrown a half-dozen no-nos, a total that includes two perfect games. The total does not include the two games in which teams have thrown nine no-hit innings in games that went to extra innings.

The most recent version happened on Wednesday evening, when Nashville’s Chris Smith, Sean Doolittle (on a rehab assignment from Oakland), Tucker Healy and Simon Castro combined to hold the Omaha Storm Chasers (Royals) hitless.

The quartet’s feat marked the seventh no-hitter in Nashville franchise history, and the first since Manny Parra tossed a perfect game in 2007.

Here’s a quick timeline of this year’s no-hitters in the minor leagues.

April 6 — Opening day

Six days later …

April 12 — Visalia’s Joel Payamps, Kirby Bellow, Cameron Gann (Diamondbacks) vs. Lake Elsinore (Padres; nine perfect innings in a 10-inning win)

16 days later …

April 22 —Pensacola’s Tyler Mahle (Reds) vs. Mobile (Angels; perfect game)

3 days later …

April 25 — Augusta’s Domenic Mazza (Giants) vs. Lexington (Royals; perfect game)

3 days later …

April 28 — Greensboro’s Jordan Holloway, Ben Meyer, Michael Mertz (Marlins) vs. Asheville (Rockies; nine no-hit in a loss)

12 days later …

May 6 — Lakewood’s Nick Fanti, Trevor Bettencourt (Phillies) vs. Columbia (Mets)

7 days later …

May 13 — San Antonio’s Kyle Lloyd (Padres) vs. Frisco (Rangers)

7 days later …

May 20 — Dayton’s Scott Moss, Carlos Machorro, Brian Hunter (Reds) vs. Bowling Green (Rays)

18 days later …

June 7 — Nashville’s Chris Smith, Sean Doolittle, Tucker Healy, Simon Castro (Athletics) vs. Omaha (Royals)

Amazingly, the 18 days between Nashville’s no-hitter and Dayton’s on May 20 is the longest duration between no-hitters this season. At one point in May, a no-hitter was thrown on each of three consecutive Saturdays, starting on May 6 with Lakewood, then May 13 with San Antonio and then again on May 20 with Dayton.

Perhaps even stranger, of the 18 pitchers who have combined on the six no-hitters, just two ranked in their team’s Top 30 prospect list: Tyler Mahle (Reds N0. 12) and Jordan Holloway (Marlins No. 15).

It just goes to show that you never know what you might see when you show up to a minor league ballpark.