After Oliver Perez gave up a leadoff single during the Mets 13-0 rout of the Florida Marlins on April 2, Mets Walk-Offs posed an interesting question: How many of the Mets 7,300-plus no hitters were broken up by the first batter?

David at Retrosheet did a little research and came up with the answer for 1962 through 2007. We’re keeping the numbers up-to-date throughout the 2008 season here:




Of the Mets’ games without a no hitter through this season:

• 903 games began with a leadoff hit by the Mets’ opponent
• 678 potential no hitters were broken up by a single
• 144 potential no hitters were broken up by a double
• 32 potential no hitters were broken up by a triple
• 47 potential no hitters were broken up by a home run
• 484 of those games were played on the road
• 419 were played at Shea (or the Polo Grounds)

2008 opening hit break-ups

• April 2, 2008: In Florida, Oliver Perez gives up a leadoff single to the Florida Marlins’ Hanley Ramirez. Mets win 13-0.
• April 10, 2008: In New York, John Maine gives up a leadoff single up the middle to the Philadelphia Phillies’ Shane Victorino.
• April 12, 2008: In New York, Johan Santana gives up a leadoff single to the Milwaukee Brewers’ Rickie Weeks.
• April 21, 2008: In Chicago, John Maine yields a leadoff single up the middle to the Cubs’ Reed Johnson.
• April 29, 2008: In New York, Johan Santana gives up a leadoff home run to right to the Pirates’ Nate McLouth.
• May 2, 2008: In Arizona, John Maine gives up a leadoff single to center to the Diamondbacks’ Chris Young.
• May 3, 2008: In Arizona, Mike Pelfrey gives up a leadoff single to the Diamondbacks’ Chris Young.
• May 6, 2008: In Los Angeles, Oliver Perez hangs an 0-2 curveball, which the Dodgers’ Rafael Furcal knocks over the left-center-field wall.
• May 10, 2008 (Game 1 of a day-night doubleheader): In New York, with Johan Santana starting, the Cincinnati Reds’ Corey Patterson reaches base on a bunt single.
• May 10, 2008 (Game 2 of a day-night doubleheader): In New York, Mike Pelfrey gave up a leadoff double to the Cincinnati Reds’ Ryan Freel.
• May 14, 2008: In New York, Claudio Vargas gave up a leadoff double to the Washington Nationals’ Felipe Lopez.
• May 20, 2008 (Game 1 of a day-night doubleheader): In Atlanta, the Braves’ Yunel Escobar hits a leadoff double off of John Maine.
• May 20, 2008 (Game 2 of a day-night doubleheader): In Atlanta, Claudio Vargas gives up a leadoff single to the Braves’ Yunel Escobar
• May 29, 2008: In New York, Claudio Vargas gives up a leadoff single to the Los Angeles’ Dodgers Juan Pierre
• May 31, 2008: In New York, Mike Pelfrey gives up a leadoff single to the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Juan Pierre
• June 1, 2008: In New York, Johan Santana gives up a leadoff double to the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Juan Pierre
• June 2, 2008: In San Francisco, Oliver Perez gives up a leadoff home run to the Giants’ Randy Winn
• June 3, 2008: In San Francisco, Pedro Martinez gives up a leadoff single to the Giants’ Fred Lewis
• June 5, 2008: In San Diego, Mike Pelfrey gives up a leadoff single to the Padres’ Jody Gerut
• June 6, 2008: In San Diego, Johan Santana gives up a leadoff single to the Padres’ Scott Hairston
• June 12, 2008: In New York, Mike Pelfrey gives up a leadoff single to the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Chris Young
• June 16, 2008: In Anaheim, Mike Pelfrey gives up a leadoff single to the Los Angeles Angels’ Chone Figgins
• June 20, 2008: In Colorado, John Maine gives up a leadoff single to the Rockies’ Willy Tavares
• July 2, 2008: In St. Louis, Pedro Martinez gives up a leadoff single to the Cardinals’ Skip Schumaker
• July 4, 2008: In Philadelphia, Johan Santana gives up a leadoff single to the Phillies’ Jayson Werth

Thanks to Retrosheet for researching the 1962-2007 numbers. The site was founded in 1989 for the purpose of computerizing play-by-play accounts of as many pre-1984 major league games as possible, and it’s awesome.