- This is the first no hitter of the 2011 season. There were 6 no hitters tossed in the 2010 season.
- Liriano joins Jack Kralick (8/26/62), Dean Chance (8/6/67 & 8/25/67), Scott Erickson (4/27/94), and Eric Milton (9/11/99) as the only men in Twins history to toss a no hitter. Kralick's no hitter was also a 1-0 game, but his was against Kansas City. In Chance's second no hitter, he also allowed 6 baserunners like Liriano did.
- Liriano only struck out 2, while walking 6. He certainly didn't have his best stuff tonight. Many pitches were left up. He ran into a very cold hitting team, kinda like the one hitting for him too.
- And as the case in most no hitters, Liriano had superb defense behind him. Without Denard Span's great running catch in the fourth, Danny Valencia's great backhand stop and throw at third, or Justin Morneau's great scoop on Matt Tolbert's throw in the ninth, there would be no no-hitter. Frankie should be taking his fielders out for dinner sometime soon.
- I believe this is a positive step in the right direction for this team. But the injuries are still racking up for the Twins as Jim Thome and Jason Repko are headed to the DL. With that said, I don't believe the team will just take off from here. Once they get players (i.e. Mauer, Young, Nishioka, Thome) back, then they should start their ascent from the AL Central basement.
- This was a moment this team needed. The team was shelled in their last 6 games with Tampa Bay and Kansas City. The season, seemingly had seen very little go right. Winning has been a rarity. And after the final out was recorded, it was like the team won the division. They mobbed Liriano on the mound and everyone was relieved to be back in the win column.
Man it was great to someone in a Twins uniform throwing a no hitter.
(AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
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