The Colorado Rockies’ German Márquez fell three outs short of no-hitting the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night, missing the eighth no-no of the 2021 season.
It would have set a modern-day record, duplicating the eight thrown in 1884 by Al Atkinson, Ed Morris, Frank Mountain, Larry Corcoran, Pud Galvin, Dick Burns, Ed Cushman and Sam Kimber completing the task.
Márquez struck out five and walked one as the Rockies topped the Pirates 8-0 on a one-hitter. Ka’ai Tom spoiled the effort with a lined single to right to lead off the ninth inning. Rockies shortstop Trevor Story saved the bid in the eighth with a leaping catch to snare a lined drive targeting right field.
Márquez’s gem nearly was Coors Field’s second no-no — the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Hideo Nomo holds Coors Field’s only no-no, thrown on September 17, 1996,
The only Rockies no-no was an April 17, 2010 effort tossed by Ubaldo Jiménez against the Atlanta Braves, but it was thrown at Turner Field.