Jimenez No-Hits Arizona

Jose Jimenez, a rookie suffering through one of the worst seasons of any National League pitcher, threw the first St. Louis no-hitter in 16 years Friday night, outdueling Randy Johnson in the Cardinals’ 1-0 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

It was the first no-hitter by an NL rookie since 1972, when Burt Hooton of the Chicago Cubs beat Philadelphia 4-0. Jimenez is the first Cardinal rookie to throw a no-hitter since Paul Dean beat Brooklyn, 3-0, in 1934.

“I’m very, very happy. It’s unbelievable,” said Jimenez, a right-hander who threw a no-hitter in the minors last season. “It’s indescribable. I don’t have words.”

Jimenez (4-7) struck out eight, walked two and hit a batter. No Arizona runner got beyond second base against the 25-year-old from the Dominican Republic.

Right fielder Eric Davis saved the no-hitter with two diving catches, including a one-out grab in the ninth of a sinking liner by pinch-hitter David Dellucci. Jimenez then got Tony Womack on a slow roller to second, and was mobbed by his teammates.

“He really had tremendous movement on his pitches,” Cardinal Manager Tony La Russa said. “He has Kevin Brown-type movement.”

Jimenez, who entered the game with a 6.79 earned-run average, is the first rookie to pitch a no-hitter since Wilson Alvarez of the Chicago White Sox did it on Aug. 11, 1991. He is the first St. Louis pitcher to do it since Bob Forsch on Sept. 26, 1983.

Johnson (9-4) struck out 14 to reach 2,500 for his career and gave up only five hits.

The game was scoreless until the ninth, when Thomas Howard followed a pair of walks and a strikeout with an RBI single to left.

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Rookie No-Hitters

* Nicholas Maddox, Pittsburgh, beat Brooklyn, 2-1, Sept. 20, 1907.

* Charles Tesreau, New York (NL), beat Philadelphia, 3-0, Sept. 6, 1912.

* Charles C. Robertson, Chicago (AL), beat Detroit, 2-0, April 30, 1922.

* Paul Dean, St. Louis (NL), beat Brooklyn, 3-0, Sept. 21, 1934.

* Vernon Kennedy, Chicago (AL), beat Cleveland, 5-0, Aug. 31, 1935.

* William McCahan, Philadelphia (AL), beat Washington, 3-0, Sept. 3, 1947.

* Bobo Holloman, St. Louis (AL), beat Philadelphia, 6-0, May 6, 1953 (first major league start).

* Bo Belinsky, Los Angeles (AL), beat Baltimore, 2-0, May 5, 1962.

* Vida Blue, Oakland, beat Minnesota, 6-0, Sept. 21, 1970.

* Burt Hooton, Chicago (NL), beat Philadelphia, 4-0, April 16, 1972.

* Steve Busby, Kansas City, beat Detroit, 3-0, April 27, 1973.

* Jim Bibby, Texas, beat Oakland 6-0, July 30, 1973.

* Mike Warren, Oakland, beat Chicago (AL), 3-0, Sept. 29, 1983.

* Wilson Alvarez, Chicago (AL), beat Baltimore, 7-0, Aug. 11, 1991.

* Jose Jimenez, St. Louis, beat Arizona, 1-0, June 25, 1999.