No-hitter in MLB: Spencer Turnbull achieves historic feat as Tigers shut down Mariners

Detroit Tigers pitcher Spencer Turnbull had a moment of history on Tuesday night as he threw in yet another no-hitter in MLB. The Spencer Turnbull no-hitter was the fifth of the MLB season and third in two weeks. Here's a look at the Spencer Turnbull record, Spencer Turnbull stats and the Spencer Turnbull Tigers career. 

Spencer Turnbull Tigers: Spencer Turnbull throws fifth no-hitter of the season 

Tigers pitcher Spencer Turnbull no-hit the Mariners on Wednesday, striking out nine and walking just two in a 5-0 win at the T-Mobile Park. The Spencer Turnbull no-hitter in Tigers history, and the first since Justin Verlander did it in Toronto on May 7, 2011. It was the fifth in the MLB this season and the second thrown against the Mariners this month, following John Means' brilliance in the Baltimore Orioles' 6-0 win on May 5.

The 28-year-old's only two blemishes were walks to Jarred Kelenic to lead off the fourth inning and José Marmolejos to lead off the ninth. However, he recovered quickly after walking Marmolejos. He struck out Sam Haggerty and Mitch Haniger on three pitches to complete the no-hitter.

Spencer Turnbull stats

As per the Spencer Turnbull stats off late, he has struggled for sustained success despite having an array of great pitches in his career so far. For the season, Turnbull is 3-2 with a 2.88 ERA. He almost had a no-hit during his freshman year in Alabama, through seven innings before lightning struck and the conclusion of the game against South Carolina was delayed until the next day. 

Turnbull has grown over the past two years in commanding his arsenal and channelling his emotions, and now he has arrived on the national scene. He threw 117 pitches on Tuesday night. This ensured that he surpassed his previous career-high of 111, with 77 for strikes. Turnbull threw first-pitch strikes to 24 of 29 hitters.

What is a No-hitter in MLB? 

In baseball, a no-hitter is a game in which a team was not able to record a single hit through conventional means. MLB officially defines a no-hitter as a completed game in which a team that batted in at least nine innings recorded no hits. A no-hitter is a rare accomplishment and only 310 such instances have been recorded since 1876, with an average of only two per season. Spencer Turnbull's no-hitter was the latest in MLB, and the fifth this season, while the MLB record for nine-inning no-hitters in a season stands at seven.

(Image Courtesy: Detroit Tigers Twitter)