Lincecum pitched his second career no-hitter on Wednesday, joining a select group of pitchers in baseball history.
Tim Lincecum pitched the second no-hitter of his career, leading the Giants to a 4-0 win over the Padres on Wednesday afternoon at AT&T Park in San Francisco.
Lincecum entered the game with a 4.90 ERA on the season and in June had allowed 17 runs in 22⅓ innings. But he turned it all around on Wednesday, retiring 27 of the 28 batters he faced for his sixth win of the year.
The right-hander struck out six, walked just one and needed 113 pitches to complete the win. He was even 2-for-3 with a walk at the plate and scored two of the Giants' four runs.
Chase Headley walked with one out in the second inning, the only Padres batter to reach base all day. Lincecum retired his final 23 batters faced.
Lincecum, who also no-hit the Padres on July 13, 2013, is one of 27 pitchers to throw multiple no-hitters. The only other active players with two no-hitters are Justin Verlander, Mark Buehrle and Homer Bailey.
Lincecum is just the second pitcher with two against the same team, joining Addie Joss, who pitched a perfect game against the White Sox in 1908 and a no-hitter against them in 1910.
The no-hitter is the third of the 2014 season, joining a pair of Dodgers. Josh Beckett on May 25 no-hit the Phillies in Philadelphia, and Clayton Kershaw pitched a no-hitter against the Rockies on June 18 in Los Angeles.
History aside, the win was much needed by the Giants, who had dropped two straight games and 11 of their last 14 contests before Wednesday's triumph.