By Stan "The Fan" Charles

Think it's been a long time since the Orioles have had a winning season? Including last season, that is now a current streak of 14 years. Well, tack on an additional six seasons to that, and that's how long it has been since the Orioles last hurled a no-hitter. That one was a group effort in Oakland July 13, 1991, as Bob Milacki, Mike Flanagan, Mark Williamson and Gregg Olson turned the trick.

Earlier this evening, O's RHP Jason Hammel pitched the full nine innings, running his record to 7-2 and shutting out the Braves while allowing just one hit. He is the first O's hurler to throw a one-hitter since Daniel Cabrera, against the Yankees Sept. 28, 2006.

Hammel's gem was on national television, depriving the MASN folks from one of the strongest performances by an O's starter in a long, long time. For his career, Hammel now has just two complete games during his 128 career starts.

Hammel needed just 103 pitches to best the Braves. The Orioles have won 10 times out of his 13 starts. Hammel came to the Orioles from the Rockies, along with Matt Lindstrom, in a trade for Jeremy Guthrie, who has had the worst season of his career (3-5, with an ERA of 6.91 and a WHIP of 1.75. Guthrie has also allowed 15 home runs in his 56 innings to date.) Hammel, meanwhile, is having the best season of his checkered career (7-2 with an ERA of 2.87 and a WHIP of 1.16).

Looking back through Orioles history, only three pitchers -- Hoyt Wilhelm (1958), Tom Phoebus (1968) and Jim Palmer (1969) -- have pitched solo, complete-game no-hitters. Steve Barber combined with Stu Miller during a losing effort to the Tigers in 1967.

So far this season, Philip Humber and Matt Cain have thrown the 21st and 22nd perfect games in MLB history, while Jered Weaver and Johan Santana have thrown no-hitters.

Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci wrote recently of the amazing proliferation of no-hitters during the past dozen years:

"How much more common have no-hitters become in the past three years? This quick look at the rate of no-hitters in the Modern Era will give you an idea:

1901-2009: 1 every 794 games

2010-2012: 1 every 414 games

So the rate of no-hitters has increased 48 percent in the past three seasons as compared to the modern era up to that point. But what if we compare the past three years to baseball late-1960s doldrums? Here you go:

2010-2012: 1 every 414 games

1967-1969: 1 every 345 games"

Click here for Verducci's full article.

Just something more to think about.

Posted June 16, 2012