The Twins came within two outs of completing a combined no-hitter with rookies Joe Ryan and Jovani Moran Tuesday night, but Moran got dinged up and what was so very close to being a 6-0, no-hit victory turned into a 6-3 win that will largely be forgotten with time.
Ryan was pulled after seven innings and 106 pitches, just four shy of his season high.
Had the Twins completed the combined no-hitter, it would've been the 19th in MLB history. Below is data on the starting pitcher of those combined no-hitters, when they were pulled and how many pitches they had thrown (if applicable).
What you'll find is that Christian Javier, Corbin Burnes, Zach Davies, Aaron Sanchez, Walker Buehler, Tylor Megill and Kent Mercker are the only starters of the 18 combined no-hitter games who weren't removed due to injury, ejection, control issues, the game going extra innings, or the pitcher making a season debut.
Joe Ryan, had the Twins finished the combined no-no, would've fit in with the likes of Javier and Burnes, where the manager pulled the starter due to pitch count. That of course ignites the intense debate of whether there is any accurate science to connect injury risk to pitch count, which is a deep dive for another day.
Starter: Christian Javier – 7 innings, 115 pitches
Starter: Tylor Megill – 5 innings, 88 pitches (4 shy of his pitch count high at the time)
Starter: Corbin Burnes – 8 innings, 115 pitches
Starter: Zach Davies – 6 innings, 94 pitches (has never thrown a complete game)
Starter: Aaron Sanchez – 6 innings, 92 pitches (first start after being traded)
Starter: Taylor Cole – 2 innings (Felix Pena pitched last 7 innings on 81 pitches)
Starter: Walker Buehler – 6 innings, 93 pitches (third career start)
Starter: Cole Hamels – 5 innings, 108 pitches (he issued 5 walks)
Starter: Kevin Millwood – 6 innings, 68 pitches (left with groin strain)
Starter: Roy Oswalt – 1 inning (left with an injury)
Starter: Francisco Cordova – 9 innings, 121 pitches (game went 10 innings)
Starter: Kent Mercker – 6 innings, 82 pitches
Starter: Bob Milacki – 6 innings (left after being hit by a line drive)
Starter: Mark Langston – 7 innings, 99 pitches (season debut)
Starter: Blue Moon Odom – 5 innings (he walked 9 batters)
Starter: Vida Blue – 5 innings (pitch count unknown)
Starter: Steve Barber – 8.2 innings (walked 10, Orioles lost despite not allowing a hit)
Starter: Babe Ruth – ejected after leadoff walk and Ernie Shore pitched all 9 innings
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