When the Nationals were no-hit by Michael Lorenzen on August 9, 2023, in Philadelphia, it ended the longest active streak by a major league franchise of not having been victimized that way.
The Nats’ predecessor, the Montreal Expos, were last no-hit on July 18, 1999, in New York when the Yankees’ David Cone threw a perfect game. The Angels were last no-hit on September 11, 1999, so they now have the longest active streak: more than 3,900 games and counting.
On June 28, 2023, the Yankees had no-hit the Athletics, the first time since 1991 the A’s had been victimized. So the Expos/Nationals only held the longest stretch without being no-hit for six weeks.
A far longer and more unusual Washington record fell on July 25, 2024, when the Padres’ Dylan Cease threw a no-hitter against the Nationals in D.C. This was the first time ever either of the two Washington Senators teams (1901-1960 and 1961-1971) or the Nationals (2005 to 2024) had been no-hit at home.
Only Kansas City’s two teams have avoided being no-hit at home as few times as the three teams in Washington. The Athletics were never no-hit when they played at home in Kansas City (1955-1967). The Royals have been no-hit at home just once – on May 15, 1973.
The St. Louis Cardinals, among the older MLB franchises, haven’t been no-hit at home since July 20, 1906, a streak unlikely ever to be matched. Once before that, in 1901, the Cards were no-hit at home for the first time. Among the younger expansion teams, the Rockies, Diamondbacks and Rays have been no-hit at home just once each.
The only no-hitter thrown at the D.C. ballpark in use from 1911 through 1961 (known as Griffith Stadium beginning in the 1920s) was against the Red Sox on August 8, 1931, by a journeyman lefthander named Bobby Burke. It was one of just three complete games he pitched in a 10-year career.
The expansion team was never no-hit during its first season, played at Griffith Stadium, or during its remaining tenure in Washington from 1962 through 1971 at D.C. Stadium, renamed in honor of the assassinated Sen. Robert F. Kennedy for the 1969 season.
The great Walter Johnson was on his way to pitching a no-hitter at Griffith Stadium during Washington’s World Series-winning season in 1924 when rain ended a game against the Browns after seven innings. This game was on the list of no-hitters until 1991, when MLB determined that an official no-hitter had to be at least nine innings and end that way.
On June 23, 1917, in Boston, Ernie Shore of the Red Sox famously beat Washington in what was long considered a perfect game. Starter Babe Ruth was ejected when he punched the umpire after walking the Senators’ lead-off batter. When Shore came in, the runner was immediately thrown out trying to steal. Shore retired the next 26 hitters in a row. At least that remains on the official list as a combined no-hitter.
Washington would not be no-hit anywhere for another 30 years — until September 1947 in Philadelphia. That was far from a record, however.
After Sandy Koufax threw a perfect game against them at Dodger Stadium on September 9, 1965, the Chicago Cubs went just short of 50 years before being no-hit anywhere again. Cole Hamels of the Phillies did it at Wrigley Field on July 25, 2015. That’s the longest stretch of games ever by a team having at least one hit. Cincinnati was at 44 years when the Cubs were no-hit by Hamels, but the Reds streak ended the next season in April when the Cubs’ Jake Arrieta turned the tables and no-hit them.
For all things no-hitter related, Dirk Lammers’ Nonohitters.com web site is the place to go. Every no-hitter is listed there, along with the location, final score and other details.
A version of this appeared in the July 27, 2024, Here’s the Pitch, the online newsletter of the Internet Baseball Writers Association.
Washington baseball history 