A Padres No Hitter! (In the Minors at least)

San Antonio threw a combined no-hitter Wednesday night.

Wednesday night the San Antonio Missions, Double-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres threw a combined no-hitter against the Corpus Christi Hooks and won 6-0.

Of course, with the Padres organization it couldn’t be all that easy. James Needy started and two relievers (Frank Garces and R.J. Alvarez) finished it off in the 8th and 9th respectively. In the 6th inning, the Hooks were given an infield single after a difficult play at shortstop was initially ruled a hit. However, after the game the umpires conferred and rule it an infield hit. If only Tommy Medica had been so lucky earlier in the season the major league Padres would’ve hit for their first cycle.

While the Padres remain the only MLB franchise without a no-hitter, there are signs that certain young hurlers are getting closer to that feat. Odrisamer Despaigne took one into the 8th inning recently. Both Tyson Ross and Andrew Cashner have thrown one hitters this season, and it seems a matter of time before the stars align and they do in fact throw one.

Yet, the San Diego local boy James Needy was the topic on Wednesday night, striking out seven in seven innings of work. Needy is quietly having a great season in San Antonio, improving now to 8-3 on the season in 20 starts with a 2.79 ERA. This following up a 2013 season in A-ball where he went 10-5. Another San Diego product having a good season in the minor leagues, hoping to work his way back to his hometown sooner than later.