Perez Gets 5-Inning No-Hitter; Stieb Just Misses

In the Year of the Pitcher, only a bad-hop single with two out in the ninth inning prevented an unprecedented two no-hitters on the same day.

Shortly after Pascual Perez of the Montreal Expos pitched a 1-0 no-hitter against the Phillies Saturday night at Philadelphia in a game shortened to five innings because of rain, Toronto’s Dave Stieb had a near-miss.

Stieb disposed of the first two batters in the ninth inning at Cleveland, but Julio Franco spoiled his bid with a grounder that took a big hop over the glove of leaping second baseman Manny Lee.

It was the only hit Stieb gave up in a 1-0 victory over the Indians that improved his record to 15-8.

It was the seventh time this season that a no-hitter had been foiled in the last inning.

Mark Langston of the Seattle Mariners also made a bid for a no-hitter at Arlington, Tex., but he, too, settled for a 1-hitter and a 3-0 win over Texas.

Langston (14-11) had his no-hitter longer than Perez. There were two out in the sixth when Jeff Kunkel lined a single for the Rangers’ only hit.

The last rain-shortened no-hitter was also 5 innings by an Expo, David Palmer, on April 21, 1984.

Nine days ago, Cincinnati’s Tom Browning pitched a perfect game against the Dodgers.

NEAR NO-HITTERS A list of pitchers who have taken no-hitters into the ninth inning this season, with the player who broke it up:

Date Pitcher Opponent Spoiler April 28 Nolan Ryan, Astros Phillies Mike Schmidt May 2 Ron Robinson, Reds Expos Wallace Johnson May 8 Doug Drabek, Pirates Padres Randy Ready May 28 Odell Jones, Brewers Indians Ron Washington June 6 Tom Browning, Reds Padres Tony Gwynn June 12 Mike Scott, Astros Braves Ken Oberkfell Sept. 24 Dave Stieb, Blue Jays Indians Julio Franco