Tigers pitchers accomplish July 8 feat not seen in a century

An amazing thing with Major League Baseball is that despite an annual 162-game schedule (since 1962 in the National League, and since 1961 in the American League), we still see quite a bit of history made. The latest case of that came Saturday, when Detroit Tigers’ pitchers Matt Manning, Jason Foley, and Alex Lange produced the team’s first-ever combined no-hitter in a 2-0 home win over the Toronto Blue Jays:

The Detroit Tigers throw a combined no-hitter vs the Toronto Blue Jays!

Here's how the final out looked and sounded on Bally Sports Detroit. ⚾️🎙️ pic.twitter.com/8hhTLLkIcm

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) July 8, 2023

This was the ninth no-hitter overall in Tigers’ history. But remarkably, as MLB’s Sarah Langs pointed out, it was only the second MLB no-hitter on July 8:

This was the second no-hitter on July 8 in MLB history. The other came on this date in 1898 (!!!), by the Phillies’ Red Donahue against the Boston Beaneaters. https://t.co/qST9bHQIvW

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) July 8, 2023

It is incredible to see a MLB accomplishment last reached by Red Donahue against the Boston Beaneaters in 1898. What’s also incredible is what a roller coaster it’s been for the Tigers recently:

Tigers runs allowed last 4 games:

12
0
12
0 (combined no-hitter)

— Christopher Kamka (@ckamka) July 8, 2023

In this one, Manning pitched six and two-thirds innings. He left in the seventh after walking Cavan Biggio with two outs, recording a final line of 91 pitches, five strikeouts, three walks, and a hit batsman. Foley then came in and struck out Whit Merrifield to end the seventh, then pitched a perfect eighth inning. And Lange then came in to get the final three outs, and to deliver a memorable postgame interview:

“Man, holy shit! How about that Detroit?”- Tigers closer Alex Lange after finishing off the no-hitter.

“We apologize for what you might have just heard there.” pic.twitter.com/G7i1V9NmRC

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) July 8, 2023

After this victory, the Tigers are now 39-49 on the year. The Blue Jays, by contrast, are 49-41. But Detroit was far better on the day, and their pitching performance was something not seen on July 8 since the 19th century.

[ESPN]