For the 20th anniversary series, we will re-live the first and most dramatic no hitter in Nats history.
On the last day of the 2014 regular season, Jordan Zimmermann took the mound for the Nationals against the Miami Marlins. The Nationals had locked up the NL East crown, so there was not a whole lot to play for. However, this would be a special day at the ballpark.
If you love offense, this was not the game for you, as the teams would only combine for one run. It would come thanks to a second inning home run by Ian Desmond.
However, the story of the game was Zimmermann. From the first inning, you could tell he was in a groove. He sliced through the Marlins lineup like butter. Zimmermann did not allow a base runner until the fifth inning, when he walked Justin Bour. The only other baserunner came when Garrett Jones reached on a dropped third strike.
Heading into the ninth, Zimmermann’s no hitter was still alive. After a groundout and a flyout, Zimmermann was one out away from the first no-hitter in Nationals history. All he had to do was get Christian Yelich out. However, when Yelich hit a line drive to the gap, it looked like all hope was lost. Then out of nowhere, rookie September call-up Steven Souza dove at full stretch and saved the day.
Nationals Park entered into a state of euphoria and the players ran out to congratulate Jordan Zimmermann. It was the first no-hitter in Nationals history.
Little did Steven Souza know that this would be his last game as a Washington National. In the offseason, he was part of a three team trade that netted the Nats Joe Ross, and the greatest player to be named later in Trea Turner.
This was also the high water mark of Zimmermann’s Nats career. After a good, but not great 2015 season with the Nationals, he left in free agency. He signed a 5 year 110 million dollar deal in Detroit, which turned into a disaster. In five seasons, Zimmermann posted a 5.63 ERA in Detroit. However, he will always be remembered fondly in DC, both for his years of high end performance, and for being the first National to ever throw a no-hitter.