The Day the Dodgers Won Without a Hit

June 28th, 2008. Chad Billingsly faced off against Jered Weaver of the Angels on a Saturday afternoon. What followed has happened only 5 times in Major League history. The Dodgers would eke out a 1-0 win while being no-hit.

The 2008 team would go on to win the division with an 84-78 record. They would beat the Cubs 3-0 in the NLDS, but then lose to the Phillies in the NLCS. At the point in time when the game was played, the Dodgers were two games back of the D-Backs.

The Angel lineup that Billingsly faced was Izturis 3B, Aybar SS, Anderson LF, Guererro RF, Hunter CF, Kotchman 1B, Kendrick 2B, Mathis C, and Weaver. The Dodgers lineup was Pierre LF, Ethier RF, Martin C, Kent 2B, Loney 1B, Kemp CF, DeWitt 3B, Berroa SS, Billingsly P.

Weaver through the six innings he pitched only allowed a walk to Martin and one to Ethier. Ethier in the first and Martin in the fourth. Billingsly would give up three hits and three walks in his seven innings. But what transpired in the bottom of the fifth inning ended up winning the game.

Matt Kemp hit a slow roller between the mound and first, Weaver attempted to field the ball but booted it. Kemp was safe on the error. He then took off for second on the next pitch, but Mathis’s throw went into center field and Kemp wound up at third. De Witt then sent a fly ball to center field and Kemp scored.

Billingsly was also aided in keeping the Angels off of the board by a couple of stellar plays by Ethier. Aybar got a hit that he tried to stretch to a double, but Ethier’s throw nailed him. Then later in the game, Kendrick got a hold of one, but Ethier made the catch down the line.

Weaver was relieved by Jose Arredondo in the seventh. He would pitch two perfect innings. Broxton had a clean inning in the 8th and Saito came in to close the game. He walked a batter but ended the game with a strikeout of PH Reggie Willits.

It was the second game in a row that the Angels were shut out. They finally beat the Dodgers the next day. And the series was even for the year. Unusual game. And still only the 5th time in major league history that it has happened.