Can't Say Rockies Hit Bottom -- Trevor Story Came to Rescue

Hey, at least Trevor Story was able to solve Padres right-hander Jordan Lyles with one out in the eighth inning for a single, keeping the Rockies from being no-hit for the fourth time in franchise history.

Instead, they were one-hit for the 22nd time, and it doesn't help matters that the pitcher who was able to humble the Rockies was Lyles, who was making his first start of the season after being signed late last season by the Padres, who found he was a better fit in long relief than anywhere else.

Yes, Jordan Lyles, the right-hander who came to the Rockies from the Astros in the Dexter Fowler trade, and went 13-16 with a 5.22 ERA in the better part of four years with the Rockies before being released last August. Same Jordan Lyles who went into Tuesday's game with a 28-49 record and 5.36 ERA in his career.

On Tuesday, he came within five outs of not just a no-hitter, but a perfect game. Now the Rockies have been no-hit three times, but it's never been perfect. And now they have been one-hit 22 times.

Low-Hit Games Vs. Rockies
Low-Hit Games vs. Rockies
Date Opp AB R H Pitcher Off
5/11/1996 Fla 25 0 0 Al Leiter DNA
9/17/1996 LA 26 0 0 Hideo Nomo DNA
6/18/2014 LAD 28 0 0 Clayton Kershaw DNA
No-Hitter Broken Up Off
9/25/1993 Cin 28 0 1 No outs 4th Charlie Hayes single Joe Rijo
7/9/1994 Fla 28 2 1 2 out 7th Mike Kingery 2-run HR Pat Rapp
8/29/1995 Pit 27 0 1 2 out 9th Andres Galarraga single Paul Wagner
9/17/1995 Fla 28 0 1 2 out 4th Dante Bichette single Pat Rapp
7/4/1997 SF 27 0 1 1 out 1st Quinten McCracken single Shawn Estes
7/19/2000 LA 29 1 1 1 out 1st Larry Walker single Kevin Brown
4/5/2002 LA 28 0 1 No outs 5th Todd Zeile single Andy Ashby
6/25/2002 LA 27 0 1 No outs 6th Bobby Estalella single Oliver Perez
8/18/2003 NYM 29 0 1 2 out 6th Chin-hui Tsao double Steve Trachsel
9/14/2003 Ari 27 0 1 1 out 5th Rene Reyes single Randy Johnson
5/23/2004 NYM 28 0 1 2 out 8th Kit Pellow double Tom Glavine
5/1/2006 Atl 27 0 1 2 out 3rd Jason Jennings single Tim Hudson
6/24/2007 Tor 28 0 1 No outs 9th Jeff Baker single Dustin McGowan
7/12/2008 NYM 27 0 1 No outs 4th Brad Hawpe single x-Carlos Muniz
9/6/2008 Hou 27 0 1 No outs 5th BradHawpe single Roy Oswalt
4/13/2009 ChC 27 0 1 2 outs 7th Garrett Atkins single Ted Lilly
4/22/2011 Fla 27 1 1 No outs 9th Dexter Fowler single Anibal Sanchez
9/19/2011 SD 28 2 1 2 outs 6th Mark Ellis 2-run home run Cory Luebke
5/10/2013 StL 28 0 1 No outs 1st Eric Young single Shelby Miller
8/26/2014 SF 28 0 1 no outs 8th Justin Morneau double Madison Bumgarner
6/17/2016 Mia 28 1 1 2 out 6th Carlos Gonzalez double Adam Conley
5/15/2018 SD 28 0 1 1 out 8th Trevor Story single Jordan Lyles
x-Denotes reliever

Story ended Lyles' no-hit/perfect game bid with one out in the eighth, five batters shy of a complete game. Only four other pitchers who one-hit the Rockies got closer to a no-hitter than Lyles.
----------- ----- ---- --- --- -------------------------------------- -------------------
Date Opp AB R H No-Hitter Broken Up Off
8/29/1995 Pit 27 0 1 2 out 9th Andres Galarraga single Paul Wagner
6/24/2007 28 1 1 No outs 9th Jeff Baker single Dustin McGowan
4/22/2011 Fla 27 0 1 No outs 9th Dexter Fowler single Anibal Sanchez
5/23/2004 NYM 28 0 1 2 out 8th Kit Pellow double Tom Glavine
5/15/2018 SD 28 0 1 1 out 8th Trevor Story single Jordan Lyles
8/26/2014 SF 28 2 1 no outs 8th Justin Morneau double Madison Bumgarner
7/9/1994 Fla 28 0 1 2 out 7th Mike Kingery 2-run HR Pat Rapp
4/13/2009 ChC 27 0 1 2 outs 7th Garrett Atkins single Ted Lilly
8/18/2003 NYM 29 2 1 2 out 6th Chin-hui Tsao double Steve Trachsel
9/19/2011 SD 28 1 1 2 outs 6th Mark Ellis 2-run home run Cory Luebke
6/17/2016 Mia 28 0 1 2 out 6th Carlos Gonzalez double Adam Conley
6/25/2002 LA 27 0 1 No outs 6th Bobby Estalella single Oliver Perez
9/14/2003 Ari 27 0 1 1 out 5th Rene Reyes single Randy Johnson
4/5/2002 LA 28 0 1 No outs 5th Todd Zeile single Andy Ashby
9/6/2008 Hou 27 0 1 No outs 5th BradHawpe single Roy Oswalt
9/17/1995 Fla 28 0 1 2 out 4th Dante Bichette single Pat Rapp
9/25/1993 Cin 28 0 1 No outs 4th Charlie Hayes single Joe Rijo
7/12/2008 NYM 27 0 1 No outs 4th Brad Hawpe single x-Carlos Muniz
5/1/2006 Atl 27 0 1 2 out 3rd Jason Jennings single Tim Hudson
7/4/1997 SF 27 1 1 1 out 1st Quinten McCracken single Shawn Estes
7/19/2000 LA 29 1 1 1 out 1st Larry Walker single Kevin Brown
5/10/2013 StL 28 0 1 No outs 1st Eric Young single Shelby Miller

Now, there was some anticipation on Tuesday, but that isn't always the case in a one-hitter. Ten times the Rockies have been one-hit and the hit came prior to the sixth inning. That includes on May 10, 2013 when Eric Young singled off Shelby Miller of the Cardinals to leadoff the first inning.

So Much for the Drama
------------------------------- ----- ---- --- ---- ------------------------------------ ----------------
Earliest Only Hit of 1-Hitter
Date Opp AB R Hq Ending Moment Pitcher
5/10/2013 StL 28 0 1 No outs 1st Eric Young single Shelby Miller
7/19/2000 LA 29 1 1 1 out 1st Larry Walker single Kevin Brown
7/4/1997 SF 27 0 1 1 out 1st Quinten McCracken single Shawn Estes
5/1/2006 Atl 27 0 1 2 out 3rd Jason Jennings single Tim Hudson
7/12/2008 NYM 27 0 1 No outs 4th Brad Hawpe single x-Carlos Muniz
9/25/1993 Cin 28 0 1 No outs 4th Charlie Hayes single Joe Rijo
9/17/1995 Fla 28 0 1 2 out 4th Dante Bichette single Pat Rapp
9/6/2008 Hou 27 0 1 No outs 5th BradHawpe single Roy Oswalt
4/5/2002 LA 28 0 1 No outs 5th Todd Zeile single Andy Ashby
9/14/2003 Ari 27 1 1 out 5th Rene Reyes single Randy Johnson

 

Story's single marked the 16th time the Rockies avoided a no-hitter, and wound up being one-hit with the one hit being a single. At the other extreme, both Mike Kingery on July 9, 1994, and Mark Ellis on Sept. 19, 2011 broke up no-hitters with two-run home runs. Among the six hitters who had an extra-base hit for the team's only hit in a game was pitcher Chin-hui Tsao, who doubled with two out in the sixth inning on Aug. 18, 2003. The only other time a pitcher broke up the no-hitter was when Jason Jennings singled with two out in the third on May 2, 2006.

Extra Effort Ends No-Hit Bid
Extra Base Hit Only Hit
Date Opp AB R H Pitcher Off
7/9/1994 Fla 28 2 1 2 out 7th Mike Kingery 2-run HR Pat Rapp
9/19/2011 SD 28 2 1 2 outs 6th Mark Ellis 2-run home run Cory Luebke
5/23/2004 NYM 28 0 1 2 out 8th Kit Pellow double Tom Glavine
8/26/2014 SF 28 0 1 no outs 8th Justin Morneau double Madison Bumgarner
8/18/2003 NYM 29 0 1 2 out 6th Chin-hui Tsao double Steve Trachsel
6/17/2016 Mia 28 1 1 2 out 6th Carlos Gonzalez double Adam Conley

At least it was in San Diego, not Coors Field. But then low-hit games are rare at Coors Field. Of the 25 times the Rockies have been either no-hit (3) or one-hit (22), only five have been witnessed by the fans at Coors Field -- Hideo Nomo's no-hitter and four one-hitters.

The Challenge of Coors Field
Low-Hit Games at Coors Field
Date Opp AB R H Pitcher Off
9/17/1996 LAD 26 0 0 Hideo Nomo DNA
No-Hitter Broken Up Off
9/25/1993 Cin 28 0 1 No outs 4th Charlie Hayes single Jose Rijo
9/17/1995 Fla 28 0 1 2 out 4th Dante Bichette single Pat Rapp
9/6/2008 Hou 27 0 1 No outs 5th BradHawpe single Roy Oswalt
9/19/2011 SD 28 0 1 2 outs 6th Mark Ellis 2-run home run Cory Luebke
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