The Houston Astros Have The First No-Hitter Of 2024

It didn't seem like any trash cans were involved (but we're still considering the possibility) as the Houston Astros got the first no-hitter of the 2024 season. They did so on the arm of pitcher Ronel Blanco.

The Astros beat the Toronto Blue Jays 10-0 on Monday night in Houston. Blanco was dominant on the mound, only giving the Blue Jays two walks all night, while retiring the other 27 hitters without a single Jay collecting a hit. Perhaps the most impressive part of Blanco's story is that he was starting only his 8th game in the MLB.

Blanco spoke after the game through a translator, saying:

“It’s been a very long road traveled for me. A lot of ups, a lot of downs, a lot of falls, a lot of me getting back up. But I think all of that has been worth it for me to be able to get to this moment.”

Looking over the Houston pitching depth, Blanco probably wouldn't be one of your first four guesses for who would throw a no-hitter (might not even be in your top 6 guesses). Blanco is a 30-year-old pitcher who has logged over 400 innings of Minor League Baseball in the last 7 seasons. He's spent most of the last two seasons with the Sugar Land Space Cowboys at the AAA level. Last year he was the top pitcher for the Space Cowboys, going 7-4 with a 3.68 ERA.

No Blanco finds himself in the Astors' record book, and will likely go down as a long term Houston trivia answer.

For the whole Houston team, it was a rough weekend. They were swept at home by the New York Yankees over four games of the season. Making Blanco's no-hitter their first win of the season.