Published November 20, 2014
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Dallas Braden gave up a first-inning double to Bobby Abreu on Friday night, ending the Oakland left-hander's bid to join Johnny Vander Meer as the only major league pitchers to throw consecutive no-hitters.
Five days after tossing the 19th perfect game in big league history, Braden retired his first two batters against the Los Angeles Angels before Abreu doubled to left-center on a 2-1 pitch.
The hit ended a string of 29 batters in a row retired by Braden, whose 109-pitch masterpiece for the Athletics against the Tampa Bay Rays on Mother's Day was his first complete game in the majors.
Braden tied the Oakland record for consecutive batters retired. It was held by Catfish Hunter, who pitched a perfect game in 1968 against the Minnesota Twins.
Vander Meer remains the only pitcher to throw back-to-back no-hitters, doing it for the Cincinnati Reds in June 1938 against the Boston Braves and Brooklyn Dodgers. The second one came in the first night game at Ebbets Field.
Before his perfecto, Braden went 52 starts without a complete game — one more than Todd Van Poppel's previous Oakland record for the longest drought to start a career.
(This version DELETES 6th graf pvs with INCORRECT info on pitchers following no-hitter)
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/imperfect-braden-gives-up-hit-in-first-inning