Minnesota's Scott Erickson had every reason to expect trouble when he took the field Wednesday.
Instead, he pitched the season's second no-hitter, beating the Milwaukee Brewers 6-0.
Erickson was coming off a 8-19 year in '93 and he had opened this season 1-3 with a 7.48 earned run average.
"I didn't expect this when I took the field, and the first two guys hit bullets," said Erickson, 26. "I thought this might be a long night."
"But the guys made some good plays early on, and I kind of lucked out. About the sixth inning, the crowd started getting excited, and that's when it hit me I had a chance."
Erickson's career had slipped steadily since his 20-8 season in 1991, his first full year in the major leagues.
But he said he got stronger as Wednesday's game went on and drew on his World Series experience in '91 when the butterflies hit in the ninth.
Two of the four walks he gave up came in the ninth.
"I was pretty nervous," he said. "But I was able to relate to that, calm down and pretend it was the first inning."
Said Minnesota outfielder Kirby Puckett: "He's been through a hell of a lot. I don't know of anyone who deserved this more."
Erickson's performance was a boost for him -- and for the entire Twins pitching staff, which entered the game with a 7.41 ERA, worst in the majors.
Said Milwaukee manager Phil Garner: "He had aball in his hand a big league uniform. That's all it takes. That's why it's a beautiful game."
Baseball's most hittable starter in 1993 pitches for baseball's most hittable staff in 1994. there could be no less likely source for a no-hitter than Scott Erickson.
And no one was more surprised when he threw one than Erickson himself.
"I really didn't feel that good before the game," he said after pitching Minnesot'a first no-hitter in 27 years in the Twins' 6-0 victory against the Milwaukee Brewers. It was the second no-hitter of the season.
The righthander, 26, was 1-3 and had allowed 38 hits in 21 2/3 innings in his first four starts of the season. Minnesota also led the majors with 271 hits allowed. Twins pitchers have allowed 41 homers, also the most in the majors.
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"He was strong, he was sharp, he was awesome," Minnesota catcher Matt Walbeck said.
Erickson retired pinch hitter Jody Reed on a grounder to second to open the ninth inning and got Alex Diaz on a bouncer for the second out. Bill Spiers and Turner Ward Walked before Greg Vaughn flied out to Alex Cole in shallow left field to end the game. Cole barely avoided shortstop Page Meares as he made the catch.
"The pitchers have been taking a beating," said Kent Hrbek, who homered. "I wanted it bad for him."
the same man who allowed the most hits in the majors last year-- and lost the most games--pitched the first AL no-hitter this season, leading to Twins manager Tom Kelly to say: "You see a lot of weird stuff in baseball."
Erickon's performance marked the first time this season the Twins have allowed fewer than three runs.
Erickson was 9-24 in his previous 40 starts. And in addition to leading the majors in hits allowed (266) and losses (19) last season, he gave up the most runs (138).
Erickson's next start also will come against Milwaukee, but he isn't thinking about matching Johnny VanderMeer's marks of consecutive no-hitters.
"Hopefully, I can just have a career," he said.
Minnesota Twins manager Tom Kelly is taking back everything he said about Scott Erickson Tuesday.
Kelly was discussing his pitching staff, which had the worst ERA in the major leagues at 7.41. When he got to Erickson, he just shook his head.
"I can't hide his numbers," Kelly said. "they are not pretty. He hasn't done well. He isn't getting it done."
But Erickson, said he was looking forward to his start Wednesday, even
though he couldn't explain his slow start (1-3, with a 7.48 ERA). I feel
great," Erickson said. "I have a good fastball. A good breaking pitch.
It must be location."