Former Marlins Pitcher Tosses Unforgettable No-Hitter
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On this date, 25 years ago, former Miami Marlins pitcher A.J. Burnett tossed a no-hitter against the San Diego Padres.
Burnett was in his third big league season at the time (all with the Marlins). The no-hitter that took place on this day was a completely different no-hitter, like never before.
Nine Walks in a Unforgettable No-Hitter Game in Marlins History
One issue some pitchers face is managing control. Burnett was a 24-year-old pitcher for Miami who struggled with control.
On this night, he took the mound against the Padres on the road. The Padres were not an elite team. Bruce Bochy was the manager at the time. San Diego only had two hitters in the lineup that could give Burnett problems. Those players are Ryan Klesko and Phil Nevin.
Burnett didn't let anyone in their lineup get the best of him. Yes, he drew nine walks in the game, but he did strike out seven Padres. He got run support from his offense. Center fielder Preston Wilson went 3-for-4 with three hits on the night. Catcher Charles Johnson got two RBIs. Eric Owens, Cliff Floyd, and Burnett himself delivered a hit. The Marlins won 3-0.
Burnett threw 129 pitches. His nine walks are the second most in MLB history for a no-hitter. Jim Maloney allowed ten walks in his no-hitter, back in 1968 against the New York Mets.
The Mets were the same team that drafted Burnett in the eighth round of the 1995 MLB draft out of Central Arkansas Christian High School in North Little Rock, AR. The Mets traded Burnett to the Marlins in February 1998, as part of a package deal that also included Al Leiter.
Burnett finished the 2001 season going 11-12 with a 4.05 ERA, 128 strikeouts, and a 1.315 WHIP. His best season with the Marlins came the following season, when he won 12 games and accumulated 203 strikeouts. The Marlins won the World Series in 2003, but he was injured for most of the season and made only 4 starts.
Although Burnett didn't showcase his full potential with the Marlins, the city and organization will never forget where they were on this particular day, twenty-five years ago. It's forever remembered in Marlins history.
During his seven years with the team, Burnett went 49-50. Injuries were a big problem in Burnett's career, but he always managed to come back and try to give quality starts for any team he played for. He was tough as nails.
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After graduating from City College of New York in 2014, Miguel created his own blog. Since 2021, he has written for FanSided, where he covered the Toronto Blue Jays, College Football and Utah Mammoth hockey team. He also wrote for Miami Heat on SI and Cleveland Sports Talk. Miguel is the creator and host of his podcast, Baseball Heat Podcast with Mike.