Michael Lorenzen of the Philadelphia Phillies tossed a no-hitter in a 7-0 victory over the visiting Washington Nationals on Wednesday night.
Lorenzen threw a career-high 124 pitches and recorded 15 fly ball outs while throwing the first no-hitter of his career. He struck out five and walked four.
In the ninth inning, Lane Thomas grounded out to third before Lorenzen struck out Joey Meneses for the second out. Lorenzen finished in style by getting Dominic Smith to fly to center on the seventh pitch of the at-bat for the final out.
It is also the first shutout and complete game for the 31-year-old Lorenzen.
It is Philadelphia’s first no-hitter since Cole Hamels fired one against the Chicago Cubs on July 25, 2015, at Wrigley Field. It is the Phillies’ 14th overall no-hitter.
Phillies manager Rob Thomson kept Lorenzen in Wednesday’s contest despite the hefty pitch count.
“I just kept trying to make the (innings) quick and thankfully ‘Skip’ pulled me aside and said, ‘How are you feeling?’” Lorenzen told NBC Sports Philadelphia in an on-field interview. “I said, ‘I’m feeling good. It’s nice and cool outside. It’s not too hot. I’m recovering nicely.’
“I was trying to buy more innings and he gave it to me so hats off to him.”
Lorenzen was at 100 pitches after seven innings. Thomson said he had a message for the hurler.
“‘I’m giving you 20 pitches. You better get quick outs,’” Thomson said. “He said, ‘I will.’ And he did.”
Of course, the final at-bat exceeded that total before Lorenzen retired Smith on a full-count pitch. If Smith had walked, Thomson joked about what would have happened if he had gone to take Lorenzen out.
“I may have had to wear a bulletproof vest,” Thomson said.
As for the 15 fly ball outs, Lorenzen said, “There were a lot of hard-hit balls. Thankfully, they were to center field and not to left or right.”
The gem came in Lorenzen’s 64th career start over nine big-league seasons. The Cal State Fullerton product, who has hit seven major league homers, has primarily served as a reliever.
Lorenzen made the American League All-Star team earlier this season as a member of the Detroit Tigers. He was acquired by the Phillies at the trade deadline.
Lorenzen is 2-0 in two starts with the Phillies and 7-7 overall this season.