Chris Heston was a 12th-round pick in 2009 and entered play Tuesday with a 4.35 ERA and 1.38 WHIP in career major league 70 1/3 innings. The only reason he’s in the Giants’ starting rotation is because veteran Matt Cain is battling ongoing right elbow issues. Both throw out all that stuff for now.
Heston was brilliant Tuesday night in a no-hitter at the Mets’ Citi Field, striking out 11 batters and issuing zero walks while hurling 72 of his 110 pitches for strikes. He did plunk back-to-back batters in the bottom of the fourth and he opened the bottom of the ninth with a plunking of Anthony Recker, but that just adds to the mystique here. Heston is the only pitcher in the history of baseball to hit three batters in a no-hitter. There have been 288 no-hitters all time.
It was the fourth no-hitter in four years for the San Francisco Giants. Tim Lincecum no-hit the Padres on July 13, 2012 and again on June 25, 2014. Matt Cain no-hit the Astros on June 13, 2012.
Heston is the first Giants rookie to throw a no-hitter since Jeff Tesreau in 1912.
The 27-year-old also drove in two runs Tuesday in the Giants’ 5-0 victory.
