Plutko’s near perfection amplifies drought

The Indians prospect, and spot starter this season, almost threw a perfect game for Triple-A Columbus.

Adam Plutko was one walk in the ninth inning June 2 from a rare baseball milestone.

The Indians prospect, and spot starter this season for the big-league club, almost threw a perfect game for Triple-A Columbus.

Plutko retired 25 batters in a row, then walked the 26th Syracuse batter he faced. He then finished off his no-hitter in the Clippers’ 6-0 victory.

A no-hitter at any level is a milestone achievement in baseball, but for the Indians’ organization any nohitter at any level warrants publicity.

A no-hitter creates excitement, even though there have been 299 in Major League Baseball history. A feat such as four home runs by a hitter in one game is much more rare — only 18 have done it.

Still, when a smart phone sends out a no-hitter alert, it does pique interest. For Indians fans, it’s been a long time waiting for another no-no. It’s at 37 years and counting.

Not since Len Barker’s perfect game on May 15, 1981 at Cleveland Municipal Stadium has an Indians’ pitcher thrown a nohitter. The drought is the second-longest in Major League Baseball.

The San Diego Padres, which came into existence in 1969, are the only MLB to have never thrown a no-hitter in their history. Their closest bid came against the Phillies on July 18, 1972. Former Ohio State pitcher Steve Arlin was within one out of a nohitter before Denny Doyle broke up the bid with a single.

Arlin pitched for the Indians in his last season in the majors in 1974. During that season, the Indians’ Dick Bosman threw a nohitter against the A’s.

Three seasons later, Dennis Eckersley tossed a no-hitter against the California Angels. That gave the franchise two no-hitters and a perfect game in an eight-year span.

The Indians have thrown 14 no-hitters in their history, including Addie Joss’ perfect game in 1908, but there have been neither for the last 37 years. There have been close calls — none closer than Carlos Carrasco in 2015.

He was one strike away from throwing a no-hitter vs. the Rays on July 1 of that season. Carrasco retired the first 19 batters of the game until he walked Joey Butler with one out in the seventh inning.

In the ninth, Butler again spoiled a near-historic night for the Indians. With two out, and two strikes against him, Butler hit an RBI single over a leaping Jason Kipnis to end the no-hit bid.

“It was great,” said Carrasco after that game. “I almost made it.

With the passing of each season, and as long as the franchise’s no-hitter drought continues, Barker’s historic night grows in Indians’ lore.

There were only 7,920 in attendance on a cold, damp night at spacious Municipal Stadium. They watched Barker mow down 27 straight Blue Jays batters, 11 on strikeouts.

“As the game went on, the crowd got louder and louder. For 7,290 people, they sure made a lot of noise,” Barker told The News-Herald in 2011.

The final out was a fly ball hit by Toronto’s Ernie Whitt that center fielder Rick Manning caught.

“As soon as he hit it, I knew it was an out. What a relief,” Barker said. “When the ball was in Manning’s glove, then I started celebrating with my teammates.”

It’s been a long wait for the Indians to have such a celebration — 37 years and counting.