Tampa Bay Rays

Not Tanyon Sturtze, Bryan Rekar, Albie Lopez, Esteban Yan, Jorge Sosa, John Halama, nor Paul Abbott were able to do it. Dewon Brazelton, Casey Fossom, Tim Corcoran, and Jim Morris weren’t able to do it either.

The feat I am talking about is throwing a no-hitter for the Tampa Bay Rays. Up until last night, no pitcher was able to throw a no-hitter for the Rays, but then Matt Garza took the mound on Monday night.

Matt Garza faced 27 Detroit Tigers hitters Monday night and rendered them hitless, recording the first no-hitter in Tampa Bay Rays history.

The Rays have been on the wrong side of two no-hitters this season, including Dallas Braden’s perfect game May 9 in Oakland.

Detroit rookie standout Brennan Boesch kept Garza from accomplishing the same feat, working the count full and drawing a walk with one out in the second inning. Garza got Ryan Raburn to ground into a double play three pitches later to get out of the inning unscathed.

Tampa Bay Rays' Pitcher Matt Garza now joins Edwin Jackson, Dallas Braden, Ubaldo Jimenez, and Roy Halladay as MLB's pitchers to throw no hitters or perfect games in this amazing 2010 baseball season.

So really, what is it? It's gotta be something. First off, this is the third time the Rays have been involved in a no hitter (Braden threw a perfect against them and Jackson threw a no hitter against them) three times in one year. The last time that's happened was 1917. 

The Rays kicked off an 11-game homestand Monday night by playing the first game of a four-game set against the Tigers. After the Rays are finished with the Tigers, they will face the Yankees this weekend and the Twins next week.

Tigers starter Max Scherzer started off the game by retiring six in a row, and then he wiggled himself out of a jam a couple of times in the game. Through six innings, he matched Matt Garza by pitching six shutout innings.

It appeared the Rays were going to make a mediocre pitcher look great as usual.

Now that Matt Garza has provided us with the fifth no-hitter of the season we might as well rank the great performances we have seen. It is apparent that the steroids-era in baseball is over.

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Spoiled food in the clubhouse and concession stands at Tropicana Field nearly resulted in two no-hitters in the July 26 contest between the Tampa Bay Rays and Detroit Tigers.

When a report from Sports Illustrated stating that 100 percent of concession stands in Tropicana Field failed their food safety inspections in the last 12 months began circulating on the internet, players and fans alike were skeptical but no more after the results of today's contest.

Matt Garza took the headlines away from Alex Rodriguez's pursuit of 600 home runs and became the first Rays pitcher to ever throw a no-hitter, leaving the Padres and Mets as the only teams without a no-hitter.

And in what style: during a game being shown on ESPN and only facing 27 hitters. Of course the no-hitter required excellent fielding plays, like one by Ben Zobrist in right field.

A great game by both pitchers—Detroit pitcher Max Scherzer carried a no-no through six.

Tampa Bay Rays' Matt Garza just tossed Major League Baseball's fifth no-hitter of the season.

You have to go back 20 years to 1990 to find a season with more than three no-hitters, when six were thrown.

In MLB history only 20 pitchers have thrown a perfect game. Two of those were thrown this season, and that doesn't include Armando Galarraga's gem that would have been perfect if not for that one missed call.

If you have been paying attention, you know what is going on.

Matt Garza pitched the first no-hitter in Tampa Bay Rays history and the fifth in MLB this season, defeating the Detroit Tigers 5-0.

Garza faced the minimum 27 batters, giving up a second-inning walk to Brennan Boesch, but then forcing the next batter Ryan Raburn into a double play.

Garza threw 120 pitches, 80 of which were for strikes, striking out six.

The San Diego Padres and New York Mets are now the only MLB teams that have never had a pitcher throw a no-hitter.

The Padres and Mets are now the only Major League Baseball teams that have never had a pitcher throw a no-hitter.

Matt Garza threw the first no-hitter in Tampa Bay Rays history as they beat the Detroit Tigers 5-0. Garza completed the fifth no-hitter in Major League Baseball this year.

You knew eventually the tide would turn for the Rays, who had been on the wrong side of phenomenal pitching outings this season.

Garza only allowed a second-inning walk out of the 27 batters he faced.

Ben Zobrist sealed the game, catching a routine fly ball to right field.