Drees’ Bid for Third No-Hitter in Row Is Ended by Woodson’s Homer in First

Vancouver’s Tom Drees lost his bid to become the first professional to pitch three no-hitters in a row but survived a shaky first inning for his third straight Pacific Coast League win as the Canadians defeated Albuquerque, 10-7, before 13,258 fans Friday night.

Drees’ hitless string ended quickly when Tracy Woodson hit a fastball for a two-run, first-inning homer.

Drees, 25, had pitched no-hitters within five days in May to join former Johnny Vander Meer of the Cincinnati Reds and Bill Bell of Bristol (Va.) in the Appalachian League as the only pros to pitch consecutive no-hit games. Vander Meer did it 1938, Bell in 1952.

Woodson’s homer was his 11th of the season and the first given up by Drees this season. It ended Drees’ string of hitless innings at 18 1/3.

The 6-foot-6 left-hander, who has a 35-34 career record, pitched a 1-0 no-hitter against Calgary May 23 before 298 fans in Vancouver, then came back May 28 with a seven-inning 1-0 no-hitter against Edmonton in the first game of a doubleheader.