The American Spectator

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Homer Bailey threw a no-hitter against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. So yes, Homer threw a no-hitter on the road. The Reds won the game 1-0.

It is the first no-hitter by a Reds pitcher since Tom Browning threw a perfect game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on September 16, 1988. (I remember Browning’s perfecto because he did it on my birthday).

This is the first time the Bucs have been on the wrong end of a no-hitter since Bob Gibson turned the trick in 1971.

Now Homer Bailey is no Bob Gibson but he was Gibson-like tonight striking out a career high 10 batters. 

Bailey, 26, has had a good season with the NL Central champion Reds with a 13-10 record and an ERA of 3.75 ERA and 162 strikeouts in 204 innings pitched. 

There have been seven no-hitters in the 2012 season. 

Chicago White Sox pitcher Philip Humber got things started with a perfect game against the Seattle Mariners in April. 

Less than two weeks later, Los Angeles Angels ace Jered Weaver no-hit the Minnesota Twins. 

There were three no-hitters in the month of June. New York Mets lefty Johan Santana no-hit the St. Louis Cardinals on June 1st. It was the first no-hitter in Mets’ history.

One week later Kevin Millwood and five other Seattle Mariners pitchers threw a combined no-hitter against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Millwood had previously thrown a no-hitter on his own in 2003 when he was a member of the Philadlephia Phillies.

Five days later, San Francisco Giants pitcher Matt Cain threw the second perfect game of the year against the hapless Houston Astros. 

Two whole months would elapse until Seattle Mariners’ ace Felix Hernandez threw a MLB record third perfect game in one season against the Tampa Bay Rays. It was the third no-hitter to take place at Seattle’s Safeco Field in 2012. 

With Bailey’s no-hitter, it marks the most no-hitters thrown in a single season since 1991. There were also seven no-hitters thrown in 1990.

And we still have a few days left in the 2012 season so there’s always a chance for another gem to be added to the list.

Now some might say that no-hitters have become commonplace. But everything goes in cycles. Prior to all those no-nos in 1990 and 1991 there weren’t any no-hitters thrown in 1989 and only one no-hitter thrown in 1992. 

I don’t care how many no-hitters are thrown. If you’re watching one in progress on TV or happen to be there in person you get caught up in the excitement. No-hitters never get old.