Not quite a no-hitter: A fan’s report

Florida's Josh Johnson's(notes) failed no-hitter on April 13, 2011 won't be the major league's last. Almost every season a pitcher dominates for as many as 26 outs without a hit surrendered. However, we rarely hear or remember the men who came oh so close to a gem.

The following is a list of the five best interrupted no-hit bids of all-time:

5. Billy Rohr, Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees, April 14, 1967
As a 21-year-old rookie, Rohr was one strike away from throwing a no-hitter to spoil the New York Yankees' 1967 home opener. The Yankees' Elston Howard, a career .274 hitter, laced a lazy hit into right center to ruin the no-nit bid.

Rohr struck out the next batter to preserve a 3-0 shutout.

4. Nolan Ryan, California Angels vs. New York Yankees, July 13, 1979
Ryan, the all-time leader in no-hitters with seven, could have had an eighth if not for future Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson, who got a single with one out in the ninth. This break-up featured the two of the most powerful and dominant players of that time.

3. Dave Stieb, Toronto Blue Jays at Cleveland Indians, Sept. 24, 1988
2. Dave Stieb, Toronto vs. Baltimore Orioles, Sept. 30, 1988
If it weren't for bad luck, Dave Stieb would have had none at all in 1998. In back-to-back starts in late September, Stieb took two no-hitters into the last inning with two outs.

On Sept. 24, Cleveland's Julio Franco hit a single to mess up Stieb's first attempt. Then, just six days later, the Orioles' Jim Traber hit a seeing-eye single to ruin bid number two.

1. Armando Galarraga(notes), Detroit Tigers vs. Cleveland, June 2, 2010
If Stieb's luck was bad, Galarraga's was horrendous. The Tigers hurler had a perfect game going with two outs in the ninth when the Indians' Jason Donald(notes) hit a slow dribbler to the right side of the infield. Galarraga went to cover the bag at first to make the put out and clinch the no-no.

But umpire Jim Joyce blew an obvious out call and took away the pitcher's perfect game. Tigers fans gave Joyce an earful, but the classy Galarraga took the call in stride. After the game, Joyce mad a tearful public apology to Galarraga.

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