
Southwest Michigan tosses no-hitter
May 28, 2005 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Southwest Michigan Devil Rays News Release
BATTLE CREEK, Mich. -- Jino Gonzalez, Matt Larson and Jose De La Cruz combined for the third no-hitter in the franchise's history with a 7-0 win over the Beloit Snappers Saturday night. There were 1,240 on hand to witness the first nine-inning no-hitter in C.O. Brown Stadium's history.
Gonzalez was making his first start at home of the season after two outings on the road and a long stint on the disabled list this season. Gonzalez allowed one walk and struck out four as he retired the last 11 batters he faced heading after the fifth inning.
Larson extended the streak to 17 consecutive with six-in-a-row of his own in the sixth and seventh innings. Jose De La Cruz pushed the streak to 19 before walking ninth-place hitter Paul Rutgers in the eighth. De La Cruz shut the door after that in the ninth inning with a little help from Francisco Leandro who made a sensational catch on a dying quail to left field for the first out in the ninth. After a foul-out to third base for the second out, Chris Brown struck out on a pitch outside of the strikezone to mark the third no-hitter in franchise history.
The Devil Rays offense came alive early with a Christian Lopez sacrifice fly in the second; Reid Brignac solo home run in the third and a Lopez two-run home run in the fourth to build a 3-0 lead for Gonzalez. Back to back triples by Shaun Cumberland and Fernando Perez and a single by Josh Asanovich made it 5-0 before two more in the sixth and eighth created the 7-0 final.
The other two no-hitters were by Elvys Quezada of the Battle Creek Yankees on May 24, 2004, at South Bend in a nine-inning complete game with four walks and 11 strikeouts and Carlos Hernandez of the Michigan Battle Cats on today's date, May 28, of the year 2000 with three walks and nine strikeouts in a seven-inning Game 2 of a double-header at home against West Michigan.
The Rays will send RHP Andy Sonnanstine (3-3, 2.89) to the mound against Beloit's RHP Josh Hill (0-2, 3.95) in a 2:05 p.m. start on Sunday during McCullough Family Chiropractic Sunday. Billy Bob the cougar from Comcast's Discovery Channel will be on-hand to entertain the fans. Kids 14-and-under can also run the bases after the game.
Midwest League Stories from May 28, 2005
- Swing snap Rattler winning streak - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- Cougars Drop Seventh Straight - Kane County Cougars
- Fuld, Chiefs Knock LumberKings From First Place - Peoria Chiefs
- Southwest Michigan tosses no-hitter - Southwest Michigan Devil Rays
- Buckner Carries No-Hitter Into 7th, Bees Win in 9th - Burlington Bees
- Bees Sting Dragons with Run in Ninth, 4-3 - Dayton Dragons
- Pitching puzzles the Wizards - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Snappers Office Closed On Memorial Day - Beloit Sky Carp
- Lumberkings lose game one to Peoria - Clinton LumberKings
- Lugnuts lose closer, gain Savickas from Dunedin - Lansing Lugnuts
- Swing shake up pitching staff - Quad Cities River Bandits
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Other Recent Southwest Michigan Devil Rays Stories
- The Perfect Ending
- Jake McGee becomes strikeout king of BC Franchise
- Devil Rays fall in twelve inning marathon
- Devil Rays and Dragons Split Double-Header
- Devil Rays shutout by Peoria

