Internet betting fans took note of the fifth no-hitter of the season as Tampa Bay’s Matt Garza beat the Detroit Tigers 5-0 on Monday. It was the first no-hitter in Tampa Bay history. Garza had little difficulty in the online betting win with a Detroit lineup that is simply not very good because of recent injuries.
Internet betting odds favored Garza and Tampa Bay over a Detroit team without Magglio Ordonez, Brandon Inge and Carlos Guillen due to injury. Garza faced the minimum 27 batters Detroit’s only base runner, Brennan Boesch was thrown out trying to steal after getting a walk. There was a key moment in the game for Garza as in the third inning outfielder Ben Zobrist made a great catch to rob Danny Worth of a base hit. The game on Monday was a pitcher’s duel as neither team had a hit until the sixth inning. Tampa’s Matt Joyce hit a grand slam off Detroit pitcher Max Scherzer for the first hit of the game.
There have not been this many no-hitters in a season since 1991 when there were seven no-hitters. This is the third time this season that Tampa Bay has been involved in a no-hitter but the first one in their favor. The game on Monday was the second no-hitter at Tropicana Field this season and that is the first time in 37 years that two no-hitters have happened at the same American League Park. There are now just two teams in Major League Baseball history who have not had a no-hitter. The New York Mets and San Diego Padres have yet to have a no-hitter. The Padres began play in 1969 while the Mets started in 1962.
Detroit was no-hit for the first time since 1990. Their one true threat in the lineup, Miguel Cabrera hit a hard liner in the eighth but it was right at Carl Crawford. Online betting stats indicate that Cabrera is hitting .347 with 24 homers and 88 RBIs this season.
It was a great start for Tampa Bay in Internet betting to an 11-game home stand, their longest since 2005. Garza’s no-hitter was the fifth of the season. If you want to count Armando Galarraga’s game that was ruined by umpire Jim Joyce’s bad call, this would be the sixth.