7,600: NoNoHitters.com celebrates the 7,600 game milestone

I didn’t think I’d get the opportunity to use the names Bruce Boisclair, Mike Vail and Roy Staiger in a post this year, but here it goes.

In celebration of the Mets’ 7,600th game without a no-hitter (and considering that the Mets got spanked 10-1 Monday night) we thought we’d go retro and take a look at the Mets game on this date in ’76.

First, lets get game number 7,600 out of the way. Livan Hernandez, 5 1/3 innings, six runs, 11 hits, lost his no-hitter on the first pitch, a Eugenio Velez single that made us update our No-hitters killed by first at bat page. Giants 10, Mets 1.

OK, that’s enough about ’09. Let’s drop back to ’76.

Here’s the starting lineup for the Aug. 17, 1976 night game at Dodger Stadium:

Bruce Boisclair CF
Felix Millan 2B
John Milner LF
Joe Torre 1B
Mike Vail RF
Roy Staiger 3B
Ron Hodges C
Bud Harrelson SS
Jon Matlack P

The Mets jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning after Boisclair drew a leadoff walk, Millan singled to right and Milner hit a three-run homer. Unfortunately, the Dodgers scored four runs in the fourth inning, and L.A. starter Rick Rhoden settled down to keep the Mets scoreless for a complete-game 4-3 victory that gave him an 11-1 record on the season.

Matlack lost his no-hitter in the first inning on a Steve Garvey single, advancing the Mets’ dubious streak to 2,383 games without a no-no – a mere pittance of where we stand today.

Some information used here was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by Retrosheet. Interested parties may contact Retrosheet at www.retrosheet.org.