There is always a team on the wrong side of a no-hitter.
Ken Johnson of the Houston Colt 45s is the ultimate case of things going awry because he is the only player in major league history to throw and complete game no-hitter and lose on April 23, 1964.
On the scoreboard, Johnson and Cincinnati’s Joe Nuxhall matched each other by working on shutouts for eight innings at Colt Stadium.
Entering the top of the ninth, Johnson had walked just two batters and fanned nine.
After retiring Nuxhall, Johnson made a bad throw on a bunt by Pete Rose and allowed him to reach second base. Johnson got Chico Ruiz to ground out as Rose moved to third.
Vada Pinson, who walked in the first inning, hit a ground ball that Nellie Fox didn’t field at second and Rose raced home with the game’s only run.
Despite an error by the Deron Johnson, Nuxhall worked a scoreless ninth to come away with the victory and put Johnson in the record book for the wrong reason.
Johnson finished the 1964 season at 11-16 with a 3.63 ERA.
Played for Seven Teams
Johnson began his career in 1952 with the Philadelphia A’s.
The Florida native worked his way though the minors and reached the big leagues with the Kansas City A’s in 1958.
He was with the A’s organization until a trade sent him to Cincinnati during the 1961 season. The right hander appeared in one game with the Reds during the World Series that fall.
In the expansion draft prior to the 1962 season, Johnson was selected by the Houston Colt 45s.
During the 1965 season, he was traded to the Milwaukee Braves. It was with the Braves where is had his most success.
In 1965, he was 13-8 in Milwaukee after going 3-2 with Houston. Overall, he was 16-10. With the Braves moving to Atlanta he was 13-8 and 14-8 over the next two seasons.
In his final three seasons (1968-1970), he pitched for the Braves, New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs and Montreal Expos.
He ended his 13-year career with a 91-106 career mark with an ERA of 3.46.
Other Losses
Baltimore’s Stu Miller and Steve Barber combined to no-hit Detroit in a 1967 contest, but the Tigers won 2-1.
On two other occasions, the losing team didn’t allow a hit. Both are not recognized by MLB as no-hitters because the pitchers only totaled eight innings.
In 1990, Andy Hawkins of the New York Yankees lost 4-0 to the Chicago White Sox. Thanks to three errors, all four runs were scored in the bottom of of the eighth inning and the White Sox didn’t bat in the ninth. At the time, it was considered an no-hitter.
Jered Weaver and Jose Arredondo of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim went eight innings in a 1-0 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2008.