Oakland Athletics pitcher Mike Fiers twirled the first no hitter of the 2019 season, and the second of his career against the Cincinnati Reds on May 7.

The game, which was played in Oakland, was an odd one from the start. The game was delayed roughly three hours due to a light failure in the left field bleachers, and was almost postponed. Fiers, who was moved to the bullpen due to a slow statistical start to the season, was slated to start late as Aaron Brooks, who was supposed to start, was skipped due to the delay.

“Fiers no hitter was impressive, and the plays that he had behind him in the sixth inning may of been even better,” junior Matt Nunheim said.

Fiers got through the game striking out six hitters and walking two, which were two of the three runners who reached base against him. In the sixth inning however, Fiers was helped out on defense from Ramon Laureano and Jurickson Profar. Laureano leaped high at the wall in left center field in Oakland to rob Joey Votto of what would be a game tying home run. The following batter, Profar dove to his backside to rob Kyle Farmer of a bloop single that would of also ended the no hitter as well. In the 9th, Fiers struck out Reds third baseman Eugenio Suarez on a breaking ball to secure his no hitter.

“His likeness to throw a no hitter is crazy low I am surprised he did it,” junior Tommy Flores said.

Fiers became the 35th pitcher of all time to throw two no hitters in his career. His first of which came in 2015 against the Dodgers as a member of the Houston Astros. However, through fangraphs.com no hitter probability rankings, of those 35, Fiers ranked 33rd among those pitchers, only beating out Homer Bailey and Al Atkinson. Fangraphs projected Fiers to throw 0.110 no hitters in his career based on his innings pitched, hits allowed, and starts made ratios.

Fiers has since been moved back into the Athletics rotation the start after he threw the no hitter.