Hisashi Iwakuma throws no-hitter as Seattle beats Baltimore

Seattle Mariners right-hander Hishashi Iwakuma no-hit the Orioles on Wednesday. Hideo Nomo threw big league two no-nos after starting his career in his home country of Japan. Iwakuma has thrown 107 pitches.

Iwakuma threw 116 pitches, striking out nine, and he issued a pair of walks in the fourth inning.

With Mariners fans on their feet and cheering, Iwakuma got Gerardo Parra to line out softly to center fielder Austin Jackson for the first no-hitter against Baltimore since Boston’s Clay Buchholz did it in 2007.

Wednesday’s effort was first no-hitter for both the Mariners and in the American League since Felix Hernandez on August 15, 2012, which was a ideal game.

Quite a few other Major League Baseball teams are still looking to improve by adding a starting pitcher, which means the Mariners have an extremely valuable asset. “I thought you never know but he may have a shot here”, Seattle manager Lloyd McClendon said. Seager tracked David Lough’s foul ball near the stands and made a nifty over-the-shoulder catch for the first out. “Iwakuma threw his game”.

Iwakuma escaped a jam in the fourth inning with a two-out strikeout of Jimmy Paredes. Iwakuma walked Jonathan Schoop on a full-count pitch leading off the eighth, but Caleb Joseph grounded into a double play to end the inning.

The Orioles didn’t their first runner until Machado opened the fourth inning by working back from an 0-2 hole for a walk. With the way that Iwakuma has been pitching lately, there are likely several teams willing to overpay to get him.

The Mariners wasted Seager’s one-out double in the first when Gausman struck out Franklin Gutierrez and Robinson Cano.

Orioles: Catcher Matt Wieters was held out of the lineup a day after leaving the game with a mild hamstring strain. Mike Montgomery (4-4) starts the opener against the Red Sox.