HOUSTON — When Mauricio Dubon threw out catcher Alejandro Kirk at first base, Ronel Blanco’s name was etched into the MLB record books.
Blanco is the latest Houston Astros pitcher to throw a no-hitter.
Blanco struck out seven and walked two in the Astros' 10-0 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday night. The 30-year-old, who didn't play in the majors until he was 28, was making just his eighth career start.
Here is a breakdown of the no-hitter and its significance:
Blanco’s first no-hitter
Blanco threw his first no-hitter in just his eighth start. According to the Associated Press, Blanco threw 105 pitches, averaging 93.6 mph with 31 fastballs and also throwing 36 changeups, 34 sliders and four curveballs.
According to MLB stats, he also became the 10th Dominican-born player to throw a no-hitter.
The last one to do so, was teammate Framber Valdez against the Cleveland Guardians on Aug. 1, according to MLB insider Hector Gomez.
Astros no-hitter history
Blanco’s no-hitter Monday night against the Toronto Blue Jays was the 17th overall for the Astros including the postseason.
According to MLB stats, the Astros have thrown 16 regular-season no-hitters since their inception in 1962. That is the most in MLB during that span.
According to the AP, the no-hitter was the first in the majors since Philadelphia’s Michael Lorenzen threw one against the Washington Nationals on Aug. 9 of last year.
The last no-hitter for the Astros came just before that one when Valdez threw one against Cleveland on Aug. 1, according to the AP.
According to Baseball Reference, the Astros have had six no-hitters since 2019, including the postseason. No other team has more than two in that span.
Here is a list of the Astros' no-hitters according to MLB.com:
- Ronel Blanco - Astros 10, Blue Jays 0, April 1, 2024
- Framber Valdez - Astros 2, Guardians 0, Aug. 1, 2023
- Cristian Javier (6 IP), Bryan Abreu (1), Rafael Montero (1) and Ryan Pressly (1) - Astros 5, Phillies 0, Nov. 2, 2022
- Cristian Javier (7 IP), Héctor Neris (1) and Ryan Pressly (1) - Astros 3, Yankees 0, June 25, 2022
- Justin Verlander - Astros 2, Blue Jays 0, Sept. 1, 2019
- Aaron Sanchez (6 IP), Will Harris (1), Joe Biagini (1), Chris Devenski (1) - Astros 9, Mariners 0, August 3, 2019
- Mike Fiers - Astros 3, Dodgers 0, Aug. 21, 2015
- Roy Oswalt (1 IP), Pete Munro (2 2/3), Kirk Saarloos (1 1/3), Brad Lidge (2), Octavio Dotel (1), Billy Wagner (1) - Astros 8, Yankees 0, June 11, 2003
- Darryl Kile - Astros 7, Mets 1, Sept. 8, 1993
- Mike Scott - Astros 2, Giants 0, Sept. 25, 1986
- Nolan Ryan - Astros 5, Dodgers 0, Sept. 26, 1981
- Ken Forsch - Astros 6, Braves 0, April 7, 1979
- Larry Dierker - Astros 6, Expos 0, July 9, 1976
- Don Wilson - Astros 4, Reds 0, May 1, 1969
- Don Wilson - Astros 2, Braves 0, June 18, 1967
- Ken Johnson - Reds 1, Astros 0, April 23, 1964
- Don Nottebart - Astros 4, Phillies 1, May 17, 1963
Earliest no-hitter in baseball season
According to the AP, the Astros are the fourth team in MLB history to get their first win of the season in a no-hitter, and the first since Boston's Hideo Nomo pitched one against the Orioles in 2001. Nomo's no-hitter that year came on April 4. That was the record for the earliest no-hitter by calendar date, according to Sportradar, but Blanco's gem broke the mark by three days.
Joe Espada became the first manager in major league history to get his first win in a no-hitter.