No-Hitter #7 Ties MLB Record for Most in Single Season

Homer Bailey captured the 7th no-hitter of the 2012 MLB season on Friday, as called by home plate umpire Ed Hickox, tying the all-time record for no-nos in one season, which was set in 1990 and tied in 1991 (including one perfect game). Of all the home plate umpires who worked the 1990 and '91 no-hitters, only Jerry Layne (June 29, 1990; Fernando Valenzuela) and Tim Tschida (May 1, 1991; Nolan Ryan) are still active. With 3 perfect games this year, 2012 has broken the previous record of 2, established in 2010.

Friday marked Hickox's second career no-hitter (first: July 26, 2010; Matt Garza), joining the likes of Tschida, Eric Cooper, Jeff Kellogg, Brian Runge and Ted Barrett as the only active umpires to have called multiple no-hitters. Barrett, Cooper and Runge have called three no-hitters each while Barrett is the only umpire in MLB history to have called two perfect games in his career (Cooper and Runge have called one perfecto apiece). Runge and Tom Hallion are the only active umpires to have officiated a combined no-hitter.

With 60 callable pitches, including 40 balls and 20 called strikes, here is how Hickox called Bailey's no-hitter:

Balls: 39 called balls outside of strike zone / 1 called ball within strike zone = 39/40 = 97.5% Accuracy
Strikes: 15 called strikes inside strike zone / 5 called strikes outside strike zone  = 15/20 = <90.0% Accuracy
Total Raw Accuracy = 54/60 = 90.0% Accuracy (+4 in favor of CIN/Bailey).

Wrap: Cincinnati Reds vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, 9/28/12