STORY FROM WVUSPORTS.COM

 

Former West Virginia University pitcher John Means became the 10th pitcher in Baltimore Orioles history to throw a no-hitter when he blanked the Seattle Mariners 6-0 Wednesday afternoon in Seattle.

 

Means struck out 12 batters and completed the no-hitter on his 113th pitch, a soft line out to short. He just missed a perfect game when Sam Haggerty reached base on a wild pitch after striking out. He was promptly cut down trying to steal second, so Means actually faced the minimum number of batters.

 

No Orioles pitcher has thrown a perfect game in franchise history.

 

"I can't put it into words right now," Means told Baltimore Orioles television announcers Scott Garceau and Ben McDonald afterward. "It's unbelievable. I don't even know what to say, to be honest with you."

 

It's the first solo no-hitter for a Baltimore pitcher in 52 years when righthander Jim Palmer did it against the Oakland A's on Aug. 13, 1969, and the organization's first since July 13, 1991 when four different Orioles pitchers combined to no-hit the A's.

 

John MeansThe lefthander had first-pitch strikes to the first 17 batters he faced and 26 of 27 overall.

 

"I felt okay," Means said. "I really didn't have the changeup until the end and I'm glad I got it going. My biggest pitch today was the fastball in and I have to be able to do that to get the changeup away working. (Catcher Pedro Serverino) called a great game and I wouldn't have done it without him."

 

It was the fourth no-hitter thrown this year by a Major League pitcher, including Madison Bumgarner's seven inning no-hitter against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

 

The others were by San Diego's Joe Musgrove and Chicago's Carlos Rodon.

 

With today's win, Means improves to 4-0 with a 1.37 earned run average in seven starts this season. He's now 18-15 overall, including a 12-11 record in 2019 that included an all-star game berth.

 

Means, an Olathe, Kansas, native, pitched two seasons for Randy Mazey at West Virginia in 2013-14, compiling a 10-6 record with a 3.24 earned run average for the Mountaineers.

 

He is the first pitcher in West Virginia University history to pitch a no-hitter in a Major League game.

 

Editor's Note: Photo of John Means during his time with WVU provided by, and used with the permission of, WVU Sports Communications.