Dreams don’t betray you…Phyllis Lorenzen pitches ‘human triumph’ no-hitter
“I watched all the videos of Nolan Ryan’s no-hitters because I’ve been working like crazy for this dream, and I really want to throw a no-hitter myself.”
Philadelphia Phillies’ Michael Lorenzen is doused with water by teammates after throwing a no-hitter against the Washington Nationals on Tuesday, throwing 124 pitches for nine innings and not allowing a single hit. /USA Today Yonhap메이저놀이터
Michael Lorenzen (31-USA), right-handed pitcher of the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball (MLB), has achieved his first career “no-hitter” (when a pitcher does not allow a hit or a run). In the United States, a no-hitter is often referred to as a no-hitter. Lorenzen is a fairly unremarkable player, having made his debut in a Cincinnati Reds uniform in 2015, primarily as a bullpen pitcher. He had a career record of 37-36 with an ERA in the low 4s. This season, he was 6-7 with a 3.48 ERA.
He started a home game against the Washington Nationals on the 10th and threw nine innings of shutout ball, throwing 124 pitches and not allowing a single hit. He struck out five and walked four. It was his fourth major league no-hitter this season. He became the 14th pitcher in Phillies history to throw a no-hitter.
The Phillies offense scored three runs in the first inning. They then scored single runs in the second, fourth and seventh innings to take the pressure off Lorenzen. In the top of the ninth inning, Lorenzen struck out Dominic Smith (28, USA) on a fly ball to center field to seal the 7-0 victory, then hugged his teammates as they ran onto the field to celebrate. His mother, Cheryl, and his wife, Kathy, who was holding their daughter in the stands, shouted “Oh my God” and cried tears of joy.
Philadelphia Phillies’ Michael Lorenzen kisses his wife after throwing 124 pitches in nine innings of a no-hitter without allowing a single hit in a home game against the Washington Nationals on Tuesday. /USA Today
But his life has been far from ordinary. The youngest of four children, he looked up to his older brothers who played baseball from a young age. But Lorenzen’s parents lived on alcohol and drugs and argued frequently. “The police would come to the house every week,” he recalls. Lorenzen also dabbled in drugs in middle and high school, but his life changed at age 17 when a man on the side of the road read him the Gospels. He became a Christian, turned away from drugs, and became obsessed with baseball. As a result, he was drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft. However, he decided that he wasn’t good enough yet, so he opted to go to college (California State University, Fullerton) instead. After a solid collegiate career as an outfielder, Lorenzen was selected by the Reds in the 2013 draft. He broke into the MLB in 2015, but struggled with a 5.40 ERA (4-9).
He made a name for himself as a “two-hitter” rather than a pitcher. On July 1, 2018, against the Milwaukee Brewers, he pinch-hit with the bases loaded in the seventh inning and hit a walk-off home run. It was the first time a pitcher had hit a grand slam in 65 years. On September 5, 2019, he pitched the seventh inning against the Phillies, then came up to bat in the eighth inning and played center field in the ninth inning. At the time, Lorenzen became the first player in 98 years to pitch a winning game, hit a home run, and play infield defense in the same game since Babe Ruth in 1921. But he didn’t feel like a starter, so he continued his career as a bullpen arm until 2021. He moved to the Los Angeles Angels for the 2022 season, where he was guaranteed a starting job. He went 8-6 with a 4.24 ERA and regained his confidence. He also became a father in November of that year.
This season, he moved to the Detroit Tigers, where he earned his first career All-Star honor. He was traded to the Phillies on Feb. 2. And on his first day on the mound as a member of the Phillies, Lorenzen shined as he pitched the no-hitter of his dreams.