No-hitters headline MLBN programming Tuesday

April 21st, 2020

Tuesday's MLB Network coverage will be all about the pitchers.

Fans will have a chance to relive a pair of White Sox perfect games, as well as no-hitters from Jake Arrieta and Sean Manaea. The lineup will also include a documentary focusing on the history of perfect games, but it all starts with a documentary on Jim Abbott, who tossed a no-hitter of his own in 1993.

Here's a breakdown of the day's schedule (all times ET):

9 a.m. -- "Set Apart: The Jim Abbott Story"

Born without a right hand, Abbott defied the odds to become a star pitcher for the University of Michigan and a longtime hurler in the Major Leagues. This documentary takes you through Abbott’s accomplished career, including his biggest highlight -- a no-hitter at Yankee Stadium against a powerful Indians squad on Sept. 4, 1993.

10 a.m. -- Mark Buehrle's perfect game: Rays at White Sox (July 23, 2009)

Two years after tossing a no-hitter against the Rangers, Buehrle upped the ante with a perfect game against the Rays. This classic is worth watching not only because of the historic performance by the Chicago southpaw, but also because it features one of the greatest catches in Major League history.

After Buehrle had retired the first 24 batters, Gabe Kapler (Tampa Bay's right fielder at the time) opened the ninth with a deep drive to left-center field, only to have White Sox center fielder Dewayne Wise -- who had entered the game just moments earlier as a defensive replacement -- scale the wall and rob Kapler of a home run to preserve the perfect game.

12 p.m. -- "Pitcher Perfect"

This documentary looks back at Major League perfect games from years past, shedding light on one of the most impressive feats in baseball.

2 p.m. -- Philip Humber's perfect game: White Sox at Mariners (April 21, 2012)

After bouncing back and forth to the Minors from 2006-10, Humber had a breakout season of sorts in '11. The White Sox starter finished with a 3.75 ERA over 28 outings (26 starts) in his first full year of big league action -- but nobody could have predicted what happened on a certain Saturday afternoon in Seattle in Humber's second start of '12.

Humber retired all 27 batters he faced, including nine via strikeout, on his way to etching his name into the record book. As if being one out away from a perfect game didn't carry enough drama on its own, Humber went to a full count against Brendan Ryan with two outs in the ninth. Ryan checked his swing as the full-count pitch bounced in the dirt, getting past catcher A.J. Pierzynski. Home-plate umpire Brian Runge ruled that Ryan swung at the pitch, and while the Mariners pinch-hitter protested the call, Pierzynski chased down the ball and threw to first to complete the perfect game.

4 p.m. ET: Jake Arrieta's no-hitter -- Cubs at Reds (April 21, 2016)

Along with marking the eight-year anniversary of Humber's perfect game, Tuesday is also the four-year anniversary of Arrieta's second career no-hitter. Less than eight months after tossing a no-hitter against the Dodgers on Aug. 30, 2015, Arrieta held the Reds hitless in his fourth start of '16 -- albeit under very different circumstances.

Arrieta struck out 12 in a 2-0 victory for his first no-hitter, but fans will be treated to far more offense -- from the Cubs at least -- as they relive Arrieta's second no-no. Arrieta outhit the Reds by himself, as he collected a pair of base knocks in the Cubs' dominant 16-0 victory at Great American Ballpark. Kris Bryant hit two of Chicago's five home runs, while Arrieta went 2-for-4 with a run scored to go along with his six-strikeout no-hitter.

6 p.m. ET: Sean Manaea's no-hitter -- Red Sox vs. A's (April 21, 2018)

Left-hander Sean Manaea entered 2018 with a 4.12 ERA over 54 career outings in his first two big league seasons -- but he came out firing in '18. Manaea began turning heads when he put up a 1.63 ERA over his first four starts, but he had the league's full attention after no-hitting the Red Sox in his next outing.

Manaea struck out 10 and walked two while outdueling Boston ace Chris Sale in front of Oakland's home crowd. Manaea's historic performance came against a Boston lineup that featured Mookie Betts, J.D. Martinez, Rafael Devers and Andrew Benintendi. Making the feat all the more impressive is the fact that the Red Sox not only came into the game scorching hot (they were an MLB-best 17-2 beforehand), but they also went on to win the 2018 World Series.