This was originally published July 14, 2013, after Tim Lincecum no-hit the Padres the first time. It has been updated to include his second one, and all mentions of "eight" have been updated to "nine". -TTG
The Padres and their fans are still reeling from getting no-hit by Tim Lincecum this afternoon but it's not the first time they were blanked in the hit column. Hell, it wasn't even the first time they'd been no-hit by him. Along with Lincecum's pair, there have been seven other times the Friars were on the wrong end of a no-no. Join me as I take a glance at all nine of the unfortunate occurrences.
1: Dock Ellis, Pirates, 1970
Alright, this is the one that everybody knows about. Dock Ellis famously (infamously?) dropped a no-no on the Friars after dropping a few hits of acid before the game. If you haven't seen the animated No Mas video of Ellis describing it, you haven't lived. Here, just take four and a half minutes. I'll wait.
2: Milt Pappas, Cubs, 1972
Probably best known for being traded for Frank Robinson, Pappas got his moment of glory September 2, 1972. His Cubs scored eight runs as he was perfect though 26 batters. Pinch hitter Larry Stahl walked with two outs in the ninth and Pappas was a baby about it after the game, saying the umpire blew the calls. Jeez, dude, you threw a no-hitter. Greedy much? Even Pappas's catcher Randy Hundley acknowledged that the ump got it right.
3: Phil Niekro, Braves, 1973
Knucksie had it floating something fierce that day and his offense had his back. The Braves scored nine runs and even threw in an inside-the-park homer to make it particularly demoralizing.
4: Three Braves, 1991
Kent Mercker pitched six hitless innings as an emergency starter but got pulled as the Braves were in a pennant race and only up 1-0. Mark Wohlers and Alejandro Pena did the rest, although there was a slightly controversial play in the ninth; Terry Pendleton was charged with an error on a ball hit by Darrin Jackson that some say was a hit. I'm not one of the some. Mercker would go on to get a no-hitter of his very own in 1994.
5: A.J. Burnett, Marlins, 2001
He walked nine guys. That's ridiculous.
6: Bud Smith, Cardinals, 2001
You know what else is ridiculous? Getting no-hit twice in the same year. Smith finished fourth in ROY voting that season but got shelled in ten starts the next year and that was all she wrote for him.
7: Jonathan Sanchez, Giants, 2009
You remember this one and if you don't, I'm going to do you a favor by not rehashing it.
8: That guy, Those guys, last year
[that thing I just said about Sanchez's]
9: That guy again, Them, today
I know I've tossed the word 'ridiculous' around a good bit already; I should have saved it for this one. Getting no-hit by the same guy twice in less than a year? Wow. At least Addie Joss gave the White Sox a break in 1909.
In that time, the Padres have pitched zero of their own. Here's to hoping I don't find myself writing about all the people who have hit for the cycle against the Friars any time soon.