Today we look back at the first pitcher to LOSE an official no-hitter that he pitched, Ken Johnson of the Houston Colt .45’s:
On April 23, 1964, Johnson took the mound for the then-known Colt .45’s against the Cincinnati Reds.
With the score at 0-0 into the ninth-inning, Pete Rose reached second base on an error by Ken Johnson himself, went to third on a ground-out, then scored on another error, this one committed by future Hall of Fame second baseman Nellie Fox on a Vada Pinson grounder.
After opposing pitcher Joe Nuxhall retired the side in the bottom of the ninth, Johnson became the first pitcher to ever lose a complete-game no-hitter.
By the time Johnson retired after the 1970 season with the Montreal Expos, he left with a 91-106 record, primarily with losing teams, along with a 3.46 earned run average and 1042 strikeouts over 1737.1 innings and 334 appearances, 231 of them starts.
