. . . and Chris Heston is not

The right-hander was traded this evening for a Player To Be Named Later. I suppose this move makes a spot on the 40-man for Mark Melancon. Adios, Chris Heston. Thanks for suiting up in San Francisco. We won't forget the  ninth and most recent SF no-hitter. Best of luck--except of course when pitching against the Giants.

--M.C.

Hest-o No-No!

Rookie Chris Heston pitches his second complete game of the season but this time allows NO HITS and only three baserunners (all via HBP!) and overpowers the Mets for a dominating complete game shutout. Heston is only the third rookie in Giants history to throw a no-hitter (the others were Christy Mathewson and Jeff Tesreau over 100 years ago in New York) and the fourth Giants pitcher to complete the feat since the 2009 season when Jonathan Sanchez smoked the Padres. The Giants now have a no-no in four straight seasons, with Matt Cain's perfecto in 2012 and Tim Lincecum's double against the Padres in 2013 and 2014. Heston's whitewash is the tenth team shutout for 2015 which leads all of baseball. Here's a graphic that tells the story:

Check out the 28 called strikes! Home plate umpire Rob Drake liked what he was seeing. And check out the 14 ground balls--that's Heston at his best.

As far as the offense goes, the Giants did their usual death-by-a-thousand-paper-cuts thing to take a 3-0 lead but then added solo bombs by Matt Duffy and Joe Panik for a 5-0 final. Bruce Bochy gets his 700th win as a Giants manager as well, certainly a memorable one.

Tim Hudson tomorrow. GO GIANTS!

--M.C.