Garza tosses Rays' first no-hitter

Tampa Bay Ray pitcher Matt Garza threw the first no-hitter in franchise history and the fifth in the major leagues this season with a 5-0 blanking of Detroit on Monday.

The 26-year-old Garza faced 27 batters in nine innings of work Monday for the Rays who have been on the wrong end of some strong pitching this season. He allowed a second-inning walk.

"I don't care who it came from, we needed one," said Garza. "We've been on the wrong end of way too many of those in the last year. We've seen three of those and we've seen some almost happen. We needed one just for our own confidence."

The Rays have been held hitless three times since last July, including a pair of perfect games.

This is the first time there have been at least five no-hitters in a season in 19 years. There were seven no-hitters in the 1991 Major League Baseball season.

Garza posted his 11th win of the season to open a four-game home stand at the Rays' Tropicana Field.

"It was one of those days where everything lined up," Garza said. "The defense made great plays. I really can't say enough about them."

Besides walking one, Garza fanned a half dozen Tigers. Brennan Boesch was the only baserunner in the second inning for Detroit. Boesch got out on an inning-ending double play.

Tampa Bay was the victim of two no-hitters earlier this season. They were no-hit May 9 by Oakland's Dallas Braden and June 25 by Arizona's Edwin Jackson.

The San Diego Padres and New York Mets are the lone MLB teams not have not thrown a no-hitter.

The Mets joined the league in 1962 and the Padres in 1969. The Rays came into being in 1998.

Garza's teammates mobbed him near the mound after a performance.

"That ninth inning," Garza said, "I kept telling myself, 'Just finish it, just finish it, just battle, battle. If it's meant to happen, it's going to happen."'

Garza's teammate Ben Zobrist helped preserve the no-hitter by making a leaping catch above his head as he retreated toward the outfield wall in the third inning.

"I was able to time it just right for my jump. Caught it right in the end of my glove," Zobrist said, smiling. "He pitched so great. It's his day. I felt honored to be part of a game like that."