For the first time in his long career, and in Major League Baseball this season, Josh Beckett threw a no-hitter for the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday afternoon.
In the ninth, Beckett got pinch hitter Tony Gwynn Jr. to pop out to shortstop to start the inning. He then got Ben Revere to ground out to first base, before walking Jimmy Rollins on a 3-2 pitch. Chase Utley then struck out looking on a 94 MPH fastball to end it.
He walked three, threw 128 pitches, and only struck out three batters, but Beckett did not allow any Phillies to reach base via a hit all afternoon, as the Dodgers won 6-0. Usually during a no-hitter there are tough defensive plays made that keeps the drama alive. Not in this one. Beckett was sharp all afternoon, and the Phillies never even threatened a hit.
Beckett has always been a very talented pitcher, with his most impressive accomplishment being his 2003 World Series MVP with the Florida Marlins. That said, mostly due to injuries, Beckett has fallen on hard times recently. However his 2014 season has been a big success thus far, as he has a 2.89 ERA with 46 strikeouts in 46.2 innings pitched. Beckett is using his trademark hard fastball and slow curveball very effectively this season, with everything coming together perfectly on Saturday afternoon against the Phillies.
The Dodgers were able to tag Beckett’s former Marlins’ teammate A.J. Burnett with 6 runs in his 7 innings of work this afternoon. Adrian Gonzalez (3-4 with 2 RBI) and Justin Turner (2-4 with a HR) were the offensive stars for the Dodgers, but this day was all about Beckett.
This is the 21st no-hitter in Dodgers’ history, but the first one since Hideo Nomo against the Colorado Rockies in 1996. Beckett was on point this afternoon, and this could be just the thing that he needed to turn his career back around. Regardless, for at least today, Josh Beckett is on top of the baseball world.