I’ve never seen a No-Hitter in person.
After attending more than 500 live baseball games in my lifetime, I’ve never actually been to a No-No. But tonight I got to experience one vicariously.
Because as Jake Arrieta of the Cubs was striking out 12 batters tonight en route to a No-Hitter against the Dodgers, my daughter Sarah and my son Matt were in the crowd. They were in different parts of Dodger Stadium, but we were all in touch throughout the game, sending pictures as history was unfolding. Matt snapped this picture of the sun setting on the Dodgers from the first base side:
Sarah captured this view from high above third base as the Cubs recorded the final out for a 2-0 victory.
Chase Utley was the Dodgers’ last hope in the 9th to break up the No-No but instead he went down on strikes:
And then the celebration began:
Jake Arrieta now has the most wins in baseball with 17. Arrieta hurled the 293rd No-hitter in Major League history – 249 of those are from baseball’s so-called “modern era” dating back to 1901.
Sarah told me, “I was really hoping he’d do it. It was pretty awesome to see something like that – I’m proud of his perfection, it made me feel stronger.”
Matt said, “I can’t believe you’ve never seen a No-Hitter before.” The rest of his words were cut off by the subway train as he descended underground.
Arrieta’s No-Hitter is the 6th one this year. Yet somehow I’ve never been lucky enough to be in the right stadium at the right time to witness history.
Now both kids have one up on me and I couldn’t be prouder. We will always have Baseball Between Us.