Ryan Strikes Out 16 in His 12th One-Hitter

Nolan Ryan was too good for his own good, and it cost him his sixth career no-hitter.

Ryan, who already holds the major league record for no-hitters, had to settle for his 12th one-hitter Thursday night, tying Bob Feller’s mark, when Ron Kittle got a checked-swing single in the second inning.

“I tried to get him to chase a bad curve in the dirt, but I didn’t make it bad enough,” Ryan said after he set a club record with 16 strikeouts in the Texas Rangers’ 1-0 victory over the Chicago White Sox.

Ryan, 43, is off to his best start in 15 years.

“When I throw a high percentage of my curves for strikes, then I have a high percentage of strikeouts,” Ryan said. “I had great stuff tonight. The one hit was just a fluke, but that’s the way it goes.”

First baseman Rafael Palmeiro blamed himself for not making the catch on the second-inning hit, which landed cleanly behind him.

Said Palmeiro: “I just tripped going back. It’s as simple as that. It was a routine play. I went back to my left, turned to the right and I just tripped.”

Ryan (4-0) didn’t blame Palmeiro.

“The ground was soft out there from all the rain,” Ryan said. “That’s why he tripped.”

Kittle agreed with Ryan’s assessment of his stuff.

“I was trying to hit the ball up the middle, and it just shot off the other way,” he said. “Ryan had a great curve.”

Ryan’s having allowed one or fewer hits in a complete game 17 times is another major league record. It was his 58th career shutout, the 200th time he has struck out at least 10 batters and the 24th time in his 23-year career he has struck out at least 15 in a game.

White Sox Manager Jeff Torborg said Ryan was simply unhittable.

Torborg, who caught Ryan’s first no-hitter with the Angels 17 years ago, said: “that was greatness. I shouldn’t be amazed by him. He is a better pitcher now than he was 17 years ago, when I caught him.

“He has better control, better mechanics and better breaking stuff. In the first inning, I said ‘he has no-no stuff.’ It was a no-no. That hit was a fluke. You have to be lucky to get a no-hitter.”

Ryan is seven games short of career victory No. 300 in his fastest start since 1975.

“I’m getting there,” Ryan said. “In fact, I’m looking forward to it.”

Melido Perez (1-2) retired 11 consecutive hitters before Texas went ahead in the fifth inning.