ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Edwin Jackson was so wild early there was no reason to think he would even finish the game, let alone throw the fourth no-hitter of the season. This being the Year of the Pitcher, though, anything was possible.
Jackson made it happen, all right, throwing a whopping 149 pitches — the most in the majors in five years — leading the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 1-0 victory Friday night over the Tampa Bay Rays.
“It’s one of the craziest games I’ve had, especially the game starting off how it did. Not being able to find the strike zone with the fastball . . .” Jackson said. “Good thing I could throw the slider for strikes in any count. It just resurrected my game.”
Jackson (5-6) walked eight, all but one in the first three innings, but the Rays still were no-hit for the third time since last July, including Dallas Braden’s perfect game at Oakland on May 9.
Jason Bartlett grounded to shortstop Stephen Drew for the final out, and Jackson’s teammates mobbed him on the field after the improbable feat.
Adam LaRoche homered off Jeff Niemann (6-2) with one out in the second, all the support Jackson would need.
