Ron Darling (7)and Jesse Orosco (2)

April 16, 1985 – New York Mets 2, Pittsburgh Pirates 1 – Three Rivers Stadium
No-no killed by Johnny Ray’s leadoff single

Any chance of a no-hitter on April 16, 1985 disappeared quickly as Mets’ starter Ron Darling gave up a leadoff single to Pirates second-baseman Johnny Ray.

The hit would be the only Darling would allow this night, but it wasn’t enough to secure him a victory.

The Mets had established a 1-0 lead when George Foster doubled in the second inning and Howard Johnson singled him home, and they were able to hold onto that lead until the eighth.

Darling issued a base-on-balls to Sixto Lezcano, and after pinch-runner Bill Almon stole second, he walked pinch-hitter Joe Orsulak. Manager Davey Johnson brought in reliever Jesse Orosco, who walked pinch-hitter Lee Mazzilli. Almon scored later in the inning on a Bill Madlock ground-out, and the game was tied at 1.

Pirates starter Jose DeLeon also pitched a gem, but Mazzilli batted for him in the top of the eighth so the game fell into the hands of John Candelaria. Mookie Wilson tagged him for a leadoff triple, and Keith Hernandez knocked him in on a sacrifice fly to center. Mets 2, Pirates 1.

Orosco closed out the ninth, and the Mets had their 15th one-hitter – the first multiple-pitcher one in franchise history.