STEVE BUSBY THROWS NO-HITTER !!!

Punxsutawney, PA –

Steve Busby’s unlikely no-hitter could be summed up in one word — wild!
Overcoming five walks, Busby kept Punxsutawney off-balance and hitless in the first complete game of his major league career, leading the Sandusky County Fairgoers over the Phillibusters of Punxsutawney 7-0 Tuesday night.
“That’s a lot of walks,” said Busby, who was drenched with beer by teammates. “I’m not going to lie to anybody, that’s ridiculous. But you can’t tell me anything right now that’s going to take me down. I’ll take five walks, any way, shape.
“I don’t know what else to say. I’m on cloud nine right now. This is the highlight of my life right now.”
The 25-year-old walked the most batters in a nine-inning, complete-game, no-hitter since 1972, when Sandusky County’s own Luis Tiant walked seven in a game. Busby, threw just 65 of 128 pitches for strikes.  “If he hadn’t have walked five, he probably wouldn’t have gotten the no-hitter,” said Punxsutawney first baseman Andre Thorton,, who made the final out. “He was so wild in the zone — the thing about his fastball was it was moving so much.
“But you know what? Good for him. He’s a good guy and he’s had a lot of injuries. Maybe this will jump-start him.”
The 6-foot-2 right-hander, who is just in his third year major league career, is just 9-5 in his Mid-West Winter League career.  Busby (4-3), who struck out five said “It’s an amazing feeling. Just to be able to throw one is awesome, I never thought I’d throw a no-hitter.”  Mike Schmidt flied to right starting the ninth and right fielder George Foster Perez struck out.  Thorton, then popped to shortstop for the final out of the game.
Catcher Ted Simmons ran out and hugged Busby near home plate, and the rest of the Fairgoers mobbed the pitcher. “I’ve been very fortunate to be able to play with some very good pitchers,” Ted Simmons said. “Busby’s young, and is a guy who has a wealth of talent.”   “When that ball went up in the air, it’s an unbelievable feeling,” Simmons said of the final out. “No-hitters don’t happen very often, so when you see that ball go up in the air and Enzo catch it, it’s like a sigh of relief, almost, and a very exciting feeling goes over your body.”
The closest the Philibusters came to a hit was on Davey Lopes grounder to shortstop in the seventh. Hernandez made a sliding, backhanded stop, and his throw was up the first-base line. Lopes tried to hop over Tony Perez’s tag, but Perez tagged Lopes on the left foot.  An inning earlier, Brian Kingman hit a grounder to the hole at second but Jorge Orta got to it and threw him out.
“I had a feeling a special thing was going to happen the way the defense way tonight,” Busby said.  “I knew after the seventh that I had a chance, but I didn’t want to throw too many pitches,” Busby said. “I felt good all night, and the closer it got the more confident I was.”  Busby’s gem was the Mid-West Winter League’s first of the season.  The Fairgoers have thrown no-hitters on six occasions.
 

FIRST GAME FILE
DUE MONDAY 04/01/2024
AT 8:00 AM - ET!

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