Perez tosses first no-hitter of 2026

It took Martin Perez just 100 pitches to throw the DMBL's first no-hitter of 2026.

Perez tossed a 3-0 gem on Monday night at home against Empire City, just a day after Hopatcong rookie Cam Schlittler yielded one unearned run to the Trojans over 7 no-hit innings. 

The 35-year-old came within two batters of the league's second perfect game: he plunked 2B Ketel Marte in the 4th and walked recently signed DH Rhys Hoskins in the 7th. Perez struck out 4 in addition to the walk and HBP. Just 56 of his 100 pitches went for strikes but the Venezualan native got 13 of his outs via flyball, including 9 of 10 from the end of the 5th through the 8th inning. 

It's the first in DMBL since Poovey Farms threw combined no-hitters within a few weeks: one in late September and another in last year's playoffs - the first-ever postseason no-no (that makes three in a row by left-handers). It's also the first single no-hitter since Green Lake's Spencer Schwellenbach tossed one in early September.

The journeyman lefty, who 15 years ago was ranked as the top prospect in the Texas Rangers system and 24th overall by Baseball America, notched the 37th no-hitter in DMBL history and the 25th solo no-no; 12 have been combined efforts. It's the 3rd no-hitter in Hopatcong's history (Stephen Strasburg in 2020 and Josh Tomlin in 2012).

Perez improves to 3-3 in 12 starts this season, lowering his ERA to 2.04 and his WHIP to 0.79.