Hometown kid Joe Musgrove tosses first no-hitter in Padres history

He grew up a Padres fan in San Diego. Now Joe Musgrove has thrown the first no-hitter in franchise history

The San Diego Padres played the first game in franchise history 52 years ago yesterday. Finally, after more than 8,200 games, they have their first no-hitter.

Joe Musgrove, a San Diego native who came to the Padres as part of a three-team trade in January, no-hit the Texas Rangers on Friday night at Globe Life Field. Musgrove struck out 10 and didn’t walk a batter over his 112 pitches, the only baserunner coming when he hit Joey Gallo in the fourth inning, as the Padres defeated the Rangers 3-0.

The Padres were the last Major League team to be without a no-hitter. Five times before, they had taken a no-hitter into the ninth inning only for San Diego hearts to be broken. On July 21, 1970, in the second year of the franchise’s existence, Clay Kirby had a no-hitter through eight innings before he was lifted for a pinch-hitter. In 1972, Steve Arlin came an out away before giving up a two-out single to the Phillies’ Denny Doyle.

But that had been the closest they’ve ever come.

Joe Musgrove notches first no-no in Padres history

To have it be Musgrove, who grew up 15 miles from Petco Park and attended Grossmont High School in nearby El Cajon, is a fitting way for the drought to end. It was almost a fairy tale ending, one Musgrove could barely believe after the final out.

“No, not me man,” he told Bally Sports San Diego. “Everyone dreams of getting the chance to throw a no-hitter. I’ve never thrown a no-hitter in my life. So my first one came today on this field. It’s awesome to have it be in a Padres uniform and for it to be the first one for the franchise, that’s incredible.”

Musgrove nearly had his date with destiny ruined in the ninth. Leading off the inning for the Rangers, David Dahl lined a pitch right at second baseman Jake Cronenworth. After getting Leody Taveras to ground out back to the mound, Musgrove faced Isiah Kiner-Falefa with his no-hitter on the line. On the second pitch of the at-bat, at 7:56 p.m. back in San Diego, he threw a curveball that Kiner-Falefa hit on the ground to shortstop Ha-seong Kim.

The 28-year-old Musgrove had never thrown a shutout in his six-year career. He had never even thrown a complete game. But he now has an honor that he could’ve only dreamed about: a place in Padres history forever.