San Francisco Giants left-hander Blake Snell, a high-profile free agent signing from the previous winter, achieved a remarkable feat on Friday night, no-hitting the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. This historic performance marked the first no-hitter for the Giants since 2015 and was Snell’s first career no-hitter.
Blake Snell Historic Performance
Snell, who joined the Giants late in the free agency period, made history by becoming the first Giants pitcher to throw a no-hitter in nearly a decade. Notably, Snell had never pitched into the ninth inning before this game.
In the final moments of the game, Elly De La Cruz was the Reds’ last hope to break up Snell’s no-hitter. However, De La Cruz flew out to end the game, allowing Snell to secure the first no-hitter of his career.
Tense Ninth Inning
To complete the no-hitter, Snell had to face the top of the Reds’ lineup in the ninth inning. Jonathan India and Elly De La Cruz were due up, adding to the suspense. Snell managed to navigate this challenge effectively, securing the no-hitter with India and De La Cruz as his final adversaries.
Historical Context of No-Hitters Against the Reds
The Reds have been no-hit 12 times in their franchise history. Notable among these was Roy Halladay’s postseason no-hitter against them in 2010. Heading into the eighth inning of Friday’s game, Snell had accumulated 10 strikeouts and had allowed only three walks. One of these walks was negated by a line-drive double play from Jeimer Candelario, who delivered the hardest-hit ball against Snell up to that point.
Snell’s Pitching Performance
Snell threw 97 pitches through seven innings, carrying a 3-0 lead into the eighth inning. By the end of the game, he had amassed 10 strikeouts, demonstrating dominant control throughout the night. This performance contrasted sharply with his infamous exit from Game 5 of the 2020 World Series, where he was pulled in the sixth inning despite a strong showing for the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays ultimately lost that game to the Los Angeles Dodgers after Snell allowed a one-out single with a 1-0 lead.
Notable Recent No-Hitters
The last regular-season no-hitter against the Reds was thrown by Oakland Athletics right-hander Mike Fiers on May 7, 2019. Fiers struck out six and walked two in his second career no-hitter. For the Giants, the most recent no-hitter before Snell’s was achieved by right-hander Chris Heston. Heston accomplished this feat against the New York Mets on June 9, 2015, in his 13th career start.
Blake Snell’s no-hitter not only highlights his exceptional performance but also adds a memorable chapter to the Giants’ pitching history.
