Ryan, 42, Loses No-Hit Bid in Eighth, but Wins, Striking Out 15

Nolan Ryan, at 42, has lost a little off his fastball. At one time, the speed exceeded 100 m.p.h. Now he settles for 95 or 96.

Although in 22 seasons he has thrown many pitches, Ryan is still among the league’s most effective pitchers.

Ryan, the record-holder with five no-hitters, flirted with another one Wednesday night at Milwaukee when he pitched his new club, the Texas Rangers, to an 8-1 victory over the Brewers.

In his second start this season, Ryan had a perfect game for six innings, lost his bid for a no-hitter with none out in the eighth, but struck out a club-record 15 batters and yielded one hit in eight innings.

The temperatures were in the upper 30s in Milwaukee, but Ryan was sizzling. He retired 20 consecutive batters (14 strikeouts) before walking Robin Yount on a 3-and-2 pitch with two out in the seventh.

In the eighth, also on a 3-and-2 count, he walked Glenn Braggs. Then Terry Francona, 1 for 14 this season, lined a clean single to left field to end the bid. The last of Ryan’s no-hitters was against the Dodgers on Sept. 26, 1981, when he was playing for Houston.

“It was a classic case of staying with one pitch too long in one area,” Ryan said. “In the National League, Francona was a tough out for me. He hit the pitch like you’re supposed to hit it. I’ve had better stuff but I wanted the no-hitter.”

Ryan decided not to pitch the ninth because of the cold weather and the fact that he had thrown 134 pitches. The Brewers got three hits and a run off reliever Craig McMurtry in the ninth.

In Ryan’s first start last Thursday, he struck out eight in six innings, giving up five hits and three earned runs.