Reed Johnson’s leadoff hit off John Maine puts count at 7,338

Chicago Cubs leadoff hitter Reed Johnson drove a single up the middle off John Maine Monday night to bump the NoNoHitters.com count up to 7,338 games without a New York Mets no hitter.

Mets’ catcher Raul Casanova threw Johnson out at second on a steal attempt, but Johnson’s hit makes us update our No hitters killed by first at bat page.

Of the Mets’ 7,338 games without a no hitter:

• 882 games began with a leadoff hit by the Mets’ opponent
• 666 potential no hitters were broken up by a single
• 140 potential no hitters were broken up by a double
• 32 potential no hitters were broken up by a triple
• 44 potential no hitters were broken up by a home run
• 470 of those games were played on the road
• 412 were played at Shea (or the Polo Grounds)

The Mets wound up losing 7-1, but John Maine had a pretty strong start. He gave up five hits and two walks in six innings of work. His two earned runs came on a two-run Aramis Ramirez homer in the fourth.

It was the eighth-inning combo of Aaron Heilman and Jorge Sosa that let the game get out of hand.