5-year Marliniversary: Edinson Vólquez no-hits D-Backs

Now in their 30th season as a Major League Baseball franchise, the Florida/Miami Marlins have still never had a player hit for the cycle. While they’ve been deprived of that particular milestone, they’ve been fortunate enough to throw six no-hitters.

The most recent came on this day five years ago. Edinson Vólquez accomplished the feat in a 3-0 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

A former All-Star with the Cincinnati Reds, Vólquez was just 1-7 for Miami as he took the mound at Marlins Park on June 3, 2017. Vólquez came in with a 4.44 ERA, but for 98 pitches, he looked like an All-Star once again while facing the minimum.

Through four innings, Volquez was perfect, thanks in part to a diving stop by second baseman Dee Strange-Gordon to rob Rey Fuentes of a lead-off hit in the fourth. Vólquez struck out three Arizona hitters to that point and had induced seven groundouts.

In the bottom of the fourth, Vólquez’s offense plated the game’s first run.

After Giancarlo Stanton walked to begin the inning, Marcell Ozuna and Justin Bour came through with back-to-back singles to bring him home.

Jake Lamb walked to start the top of the fifth, giving the Diamondbacks their first baserunner. Vólquez bounced back to strike out Chris Hermann before getting Brandon Drury to ground into an inning-ending double play.

Vólquez threw perfect frames in the sixth and seventh before issuing a one-out walk to Hermann in the eighth. Again, the double play ball was his friend. For the second time, Drury grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Despite Volquez stealing the show, the Miami lead was only 1-0. That changed in the bottom of the eighth. The characters for the offensive rally were the same as in the fourth.

Stanton again walked to begin the frame before advancing to second on a single by Christian Yelich. Ozuna singled Stanton home to double the lead to 2-0. That was followed by an RBI double from Bour.

With the lead now 3-0 and two runners in scoring position with nobody out, the Marlins appeared in for a big inning, Two strikeouts, an intentional walk and a fielder’s choice later and the spotlight was back on Vólquez.

Through eighth innings, Vólquez had struck out seven batters. One inning from a no-hitter, Volquez fanned the side – all swinging.

Nick Ahmed struck out on four pitches before Daniel Descalso went down swinging on a 2-2 count. One out from the no-no, Chris Owings came to the plate.

Ahead in the count 0-2, Vólquez went with his sinker. Owings chased as it tailed into the dirt. J.T. Realmuto made the throw to first to complete the strikeout and no-hitter.

Vólquez lasted just one season with the Marlins and went 4-8 in 17 starts before undergoing season-ending Tommy John surgery. One of those victories was a no-hitter. It came on this day five years ago.