Looking back on the Dodgers' no-hitters
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The Dodgers are one of the oldest Major League franchises, so it is hardly surprising that they have the most no-hitters of any club at 23 -- 13 in Los Angeles and 10 in Brooklyn, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Brooklyn also tossed three no-hitters prior to 1890, which is when they entered the National League.
Sandy Koufax leads the club and is second on the all-time MLB leaderboard with four no-hitters, one of which was a perfect game. And legendary broadcaster Vin Scully called 14 of the Dodgers’ no-hitters during his tenure, which started in 1950 in Brooklyn and lasted through his retirement in 2016.
Here is a summary of all 23 Dodgers no-hitters.
May 4, 2018: Walker Buehler, Tony Cingrani, Yimi Garcia, Adam Liberatore
Dodgers 4, Padres 0
The Dodgers’ most recent no-hitter was a combined effort in a 4-0 victory in the opener of MLB’s Mexico Series in 2018. It’s the only combined no-hitter in Dodgers history. Rookie Buehler, in just his third career start, pitched six innings in the rain before turning it over to Cingrani, Garcia and Liberatore for an inning apiece. Manager Dave Roberts pulled Buehler after throwing 93 pitches, walking three and striking out eight. According to Baseball Reference, Buehler became the youngest Dodgers pitcher to throw at least six no-hit innings since Rex Barney in 1948.
June 18, 2014: Clayton Kershaw
Dodgers 8, Rockies 0
The Dodgers’ most recent solo no-hitter came from one of the club’s all-time greats. Kershaw no-hit the Rockies, striking out 15 batters and not issuing a walk. Kershaw was only the second pitcher to throw a no-hitter with at least 15 strikeouts. Nolan Ryan did it three times. Kershaw didn’t throw a ball to any of the final six batters he faced.
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May 25, 2014: Josh Beckett
Dodgers: 6, Phillies 0
After two years without winning a single game, Beckett no-hit the Phillies for the Dodgers’ first no-hitter since 1996 and the first in Beckett’s career. At 34 years old, Beckett was on the downside of his career, having already earned a World Series MVP Award with the Marlins (2003) and an American League Championship Series MVP Award with the Red Sox (2007). After struggling with injuries for most of his time with the Dodgers, Beckett struck out six and walked three in the 6-0 win. Kershaw and Beckett were the Dodgers’ first pair of teammates to pitch no-hitters in the same season since Carl Erskine and Sal Maglie with Brooklyn in 1956.
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Sept. 17, 1996: Hideo Nomo
Dodgers 9, Rockies 0
The first of two no-hitters for Nomo (the second was in 2001, when his Red Sox defeated the Orioles) was also the first no-hitter in Coors Field history. After a one-hour rain delay, the former NL Rookie of the Year had nine strikeouts and four walks in a 9-0 win over the Rockies. Nomo even provided his own run support with an RBI single in the eighth inning. He later became just the fourth pitcher to throw a no-hitter in both the AL and NL.
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July 14, 1995: Ramon Martinez
Dodgers 7, Marlins 0
Martinez struck out eight batters while walking one in the win over the Marlins. It was part of a banner season in which he placed fifth in NL Cy Young Award voting after going 17-7 with a 3.66 ERA. He had a perfect game going before issuing a walk in the eighth inning.
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Aug 17, 1992: Kevin Gross
Dodgers 2, Giants 0
In what was the Dodgers’ sixth no-hitter against the rival Giants, Gross had six strikeouts and two walks in a 2-0 win over San Francisco. His no-hitter came just five days after he carried a no-hit bid into the fifth inning during a start in Cincinnati.
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June 29, 1990: Fernando Valenzuela
Dodgers 6, Cardinals 0
This is the only date on which two pitchers have thrown no-hitters on the same day in different cities. Valenzuela pitched a no-hitter against the Cardinals at Dodger Stadium, while former Dodger Dave Stewart pitched a no-hitter for the A’s in Toronto. It was Valenzuela’s final game as a Dodger, striking out seven and walking three for the club’s first no-hitter since 1980.
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June 27, 1980: Jerry Reuss
Dodgers 8, Giants 0
The Dodgers had a 10-year no-hitter drought before Reuss pitched one in San Francisco. Reuss was a first-inning throwing error away from a perfect game. He’s one of 10 pitchers who didn’t walk or hit a single batter but had a perfect game broken up by an error.
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July 20, 1970: Bill Singer
Dodgers, 5 Phillies 0
After Singer was sidelined early in the 1970 season due to hospitalization for hepatitis, he returned to win six of his first seven games. He threw 114 pitches and added 10 strikeouts in the no-hitter against the Phillies. Singer was close to no-hitter a month earlier, pitching 7 2/3 hitless innings against Atlanta on June 23.
Sept. 9, 1965: Sandy Koufax
Dodgers 1, Cubs 0 (perfect game)
The last of Koufax’s no-hitters was also his only perfect game, a 1-0 victory over the Cubs. His four no-hitters were a Major League record until Nolan Ryan’s fifth in 1981. Koufax would strike out the final six batters on this day, giving him a total of 14 in the game.
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June 4, 1964: Koufax
Dodgers 3, Phillies 0
Koufax faced the minimum and threw only 97 pitches in his third career no-hitter. He was only the second pitcher (Bob Feller) to pitch three no-hitters in the 1900s.
May 11, 1963: Koufax
Dodgers 8, Giants 0
Koufax was nearly perfect in this matchup against the Giants a year after this first career no-hitter. He didn’t allow a baserunner through 7 1/3 innings before issuing a full-count walk in the eighth. Koufax only had four strikeouts in the win.
June 30, 1962: Koufax
Dodgers 5, Mets 0
The first of Koufax’s four career no-hitters was against a Mets team playing in its inaugural season. The Mets only hit five balls out of the infield as Koufax struck out 13 batters. Koufax did struggle early in the game, allowing the Mets to get to a full count nine times. He walked five.
Sept. 25, 1956: Sal Maglie
Dodgers 5, Phillies 0
Maglie pitched the Dodgers’ final no-hitter before the team relocated to Los Angeles. The no-hitter helped the Dodgers in the race to their last pennant in Brooklyn as well. When the Dodgers moved west, Maglie was dealt to the Yankees and became the last player to appear for all three New York teams -- the Giants, Dodgers and Yankees.
May 12, 1956: Carl Erskine
Dodgers 3, Giants 0
One of only two Dodgers to pitch multiple no-hitters, Erskine struck out three batters against the New York Giants. Willie Mays almost broke up the no-hitter in the fifth inning, but a defensive gem by Jackie Robinson saved the no-no. Erskine was nine seasons into a 12-year career and had helped the Dodgers to a World Series win over the Yankees just the year before.
June 19, 1952: Erskine
Dodgers 5, Cubs 0
In his first career no-hitter, Erskine finished one walk away from completing a perfect game against the Cubs. He accounts for two of the National League’s seven no-hitters during the 1950s.
Sept. 9, 1948: Rex Barney
Dodgers 2, Giants 0
Barney had an up and down career in Brooklyn, but the high point came in his 1948 season. He had a 15-13 record and ranked second in the league in strikeouts and shutouts. It was his only season striking out more batters than he walked.
April 23, 1946: Ed Head
Dodgers 5, Braves 0
In MLB’s first season following the end of World War II, the league saw its first no-hitter take place early. Head, making his first MLB appearance since 1944, struck out only one in his start against the Boston Braves. Head suffered a career-ending arm injury just weeks later.
April 30, 1940: Tex Carleton
Dodgers 3, Reds 0
Carleton, who had considered retirement a year earlier, tossed his first and only MLB no-hitter early in the 1940 season. He walked the first batter he faced and watched his defense commit multiple fielding errors early in the game before retiring the final 17 batters.
Sept. 13, 1925: Dazzy Vance
Dodgers/Robins 10, Phillies 1
The Dodgers were called the Robins in 1925, but Dazzy Vance almost added to the club’s no-hitter history twice. He pitched seven hitless innings in back-to-back games against the Philadelphia Phillies, totaling 15 2/3 consecutive hitless innings in all. The Phillies scored after two errors and a sacrifice fly, but Brooklyn still came to a 10-1 victory. Vance is the only Dodgers pitcher to allow a run in a no-hitter.
Sept. 5, 1908: Nap Rucker
Dodgers/Superbas 6, Doves 0
Rucker became the first left-handed pitcher to throw a no-hitter for the club when he did so against the Boston Doves. He struck out 14 batters in the win.
July 20, 1906: Mal Eason
Dodgers/Superbas 2, Cardinals 0
In what would be his final season as a professional baseball player, Eason pitched his first career no-hitter. It was the first road no-hitter for the club. He was on the losing end of one against the Phillies earlier that season. Eason went on to become an NL umpire.
June 22, 1891: Tom Lovett
Dodgers/Grooms 4, Giants 0
Lovett pitched the club’s first recognized MLB and NL no-hitter for the then-Brooklyn Grooms. Lovett signed with the Bridegrooms in 1889, one year before Brooklyn moved from the American Association to the National League in 1890.