Snell notches 2nd no-hitter, Hillsborough's 4th

Blake Snell become the second pitcher in DMBL history to throw two no-hitters while extending Hillsborough's franchise record 4th no-hitter.

The lefty twirled a 1-0 masterpiece at home against the Rockland Racers, racking up 14 strikeouts and just 1 walk for the Hit Men.

It's the 2nd no-hitter in the DMBL this season and the 30th in league history. Snell joins Stephen Strasburg as the only pitchers to hurl more than one no-hitter in their careers. Strasburg did it in 2018 and as a rookie in 2011. Snell's 1st career no-hitter came in 2019 against El Paso, when he surrendered a run in a 6-1 victory. The no-hitter is the 4th for the Hillsborough franchise; no other team has more than two.

Snell's lone walk was issued with 2 outs in the 2nd to Ryan McMahon, who then stole 2nd before Miles Straw was retired for the 3rd out. McMahon would be the only Racer to reach base, also getting on in the 5th via an error by SS Aledmys Diaz.

The 14 strikeouts came quietly. Snell struck out the side in the 7th and racked up back-to-back strikeouts in the 3rd and 4th as well as across the 1st and 2nd, and 8th and 9th innings. He registered 6 Ks over the final 3 innings. Of his 102 pitchers, 75 went for strikes (.735). He compiled Game Score 90 thanks to his 14 Ks, which is likely the highest total in the DMBL so far this season.

Dean Kremer pitched respectably for the Racers, going 7+ innings and allowing just 1 run. Hillsborough collected 5 hits but the lone run came on a Pete Alonso long ball with 2 out in the 6th. Willson Contreras and CJ Cron followed with a single and double, respectively, before Gleyber Torres ended the inning. The Hit Men threatened again in the 8th. After Dean Kremer plunked Alonso, 2022 Eck Award winner Joe Barlow yielded a single to Contreras, putting runners on the corners, before striking out Cron to end the threat.

The 30-year-old Snell evened his record to 4-4 and lowered his ERA to 3.58. He's totaled 88 strikeouts across 55 1/3 innings in 10 starts. The Racers dropped to a league-worst 13-35 while the Hit Men drew to within a game of .500 (24-25).