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Photo Credit: Kirsten Schmitt/Brewers

Zach Davies on Saturday, April 7, 2018 at Miller Park. He did not throw a no-hitter.

On April 15, 1987, Juan Nieves pitched the only no-hitter in Brewers franchise history, getting a diving catch from Robin Yount in center field to record the final out. If that feels like a long time ago, it’s because it was.

The 31st anniversary of that historic event came and went over the weekend and it continues to stand alone in franchise history. Across Major League Baseball, 85 no-hitters have been recorded since Nieves pitched his but the Brewers have none of them, although they were the opposing team on two such occasions. Barring postponements or an outstanding pitching performance the Brewers will play their 4,967th consecutive game without a no-hitter on Friday, passing the 1951-83 Yankees for the eleventh longest streak in MLB history. Later this season they could move into the top ten on that list, passing the 1923-56 Red Sox. Here are the remaining teams ahead of them:

1. 1908-1964 Phillies, 8,656 games
2. 1962-2012 Mets, 8,019 games
3. 1969-present Padres, 7,831 games
4. 1908-1951 Pirates, 6,622 games
5. 1912-1952 Tigers, 6,108 games
6. 1915-1955 Cubs, 6,055 games
7. 1981-present Cleveland, 5,856 games
8. 1972-2008 Cubs, 5,717 games
9. 1976-2009 Giants, 5,153 games
10. 1923-1956 Red Sox, 5,038 games

Clearly, the Brewers still have a long way to go to reach the top of that list. Assuming MLB continues to play 162 game seasons the Brewers would pass the Phillies’ streak sometime in 2039, and even then it would only be an MLB record if San Diego and Cleveland, the active streaks in the top ten, record a no-hitter first. Nonetheless, a streak of nearly 5,000 consecutive games without a no-hitter isn’t something that happens often.

The Brewers have had some near-misses during that time, of course. Chase Anderson and Brent Suter each got more than halfway last week, working 4 2/3 innings hitless before giving up infield singles on Saturday and Wednesday, respectively. On seven occasions pitchers have come much closer, pitching one-hit games.

• The first no-hitter in franchise history almost didn’t stand alone for long: On September 1, 1987 Teddy Higuera pitched a complete game one-hitter, with the only hit being a two-out triple by shortstop Ross Jones in the bottom of the eighth.
• Higuera and two relievers almost did it again on June 15, 1988 against the Royals, again taking a no-hitter into the eighth before allowing a hit for the first time, this time a Steve Balboni solo home run.
• Cal Eldred allowed a first inning double on April 23, 1993 against the Rangers, but he and Jesse Orosco combined to allow no more while recording the game’s final 26 outs.
• In arguably the strangest one-hitter in Brewers franchise history, knuckleballer Steve Sparks and reliever Graeme Lloyd combined to give up just one hit on April 13, 1996 in a game the Brewers lost 3-2 to the Royals anyway. Outfielder Michael Tucker had the lone hit, a fifth inning three-run home run.
• Steve Woodard’s MLB debut came one batter away from history on July 28, 1997 as he and Mike Fetters combined to allow just one hit, an Otis Nixon double to lead off the game, while outdueling Roger Clemens and the Blue Jays.
• CC Sabathia pitched the most controversial one-hitter in Brewers history on August 31, 2008 against the Pirates, where the lone base hit was an Andy LaRoche infield grounder that many still argue should have been ruled an error.
• The most recent Brewers one-hitter came on May 7, 2011, when Yovani Gallardo and John Axford combined to do it to the Cardinals. Third baseman Daniel Descalso had the lone hit in that contest, a ground ball single to lead off the bottom of the eighth inning.

We’re now closing in on seven years since the Brewers’ last one-hitter, so that fact combined with the Brewers’ recent tendency to go short with their starting pitchers would suggest that a no-hitter is an extreme long shot for this team. In the meantime, a slow march towards history continues one day at a time.