Who knew the cool spring night on April the 24th in Tuscaloosa would be a special one? A crowd of just over 3800 piled into Tuscaloosa Municipal Stadium to see the home town Trout Slayers take on the Zanesville Gunslingers, the AAA team of Cleveland Monsters. 28 year old veteran Brian Wilson took the bump for the Trout Slayers who came in with a 4.41 ERA and 3 no decisions in his first 3 starts of the season.
Game time was 7:05 and Wilson promptly walked the lead off man but took care of the next 3 hitters in order via 2 fly-outs and a strikeout. The Trout Slayers went to work early starting their half of the inning off with 3 straight singles with the third bringing in the first run of the game. SS Aaron Bailey then stepped to the plate and launched a 340 foot 3-run HR into the left field bleachers. The 4 run first inning would be more than enough for Wilson on this night.
A ground-out, another walk and a pair of K's finished the 2nd. A 1-2-3 3rd and 5th innings sandwiched with another walk given up in the 4th and we were through 5 innings. 0 hits, 3 BB. A 2-run HR by OF Albert Rodriguez made it 6-0 in the bottom half of the 4th. 4 more runs in the 5th inning made it 10-0 Trout Slayers and the game was getting out of hand. All the runs and hits from Tuscaloosa made the no-hitter through 5 innings seem non-existent.
Wilson walked the leadoff man again in the 6th for his 4th walk of the evening but retired the next 3 batters to get out of trouble. Back to back strikeouts and a groundout and he was through the 7th inning in just 7 pitches. Through 7, 98 pitches 0 hits, 4 BB.
A lengthily bottom half of the 7th saw the Trout Slayers send 7 men to the plate and Aaron Bailey knock in his 4th run to push the lead to 11-0. It was at this time everyone in the dugouts and stands knew what was going on. Wilson sat on the end of the bench alone with his thoughts and the stands were still full. Wilson took the mound for the 8th and struck out the leadoff man on 3 pitches. The 2nd batter walked on 5 pitches but a lazy fly ball to Center and a weak grounder to 2nd ended the inning. Wilson had 8 no hit innings while throwing 112 pitches, which was already a season high.
The Trout Slayers had a single and a walk in the bottom of the 8th but couldn't produce another run and we were onto the 9th. Wilson had 2 coats on to keep that arm warm and every eye was on him as he made the slow walk to the mound. After a handful of warm up pitches Marty Ward stepped to the plate and drew a 5 pitch walk with the only strike coming on a close pitch which could have easily been called a ball. The 6th walk of the evening and questions by every fan wondering if he had anything left in the tank. His arm was obviously fatigued as his fastball was several miles an hour below the 90 MPH he usually throws. After 2 called strikes on the 2nd batter a changeup just missed the outside corner which had the crowd in an uproar. Mark Bryant took the next pitch and poked it towards the 1st baseline where First Base replacement Xin Zhang was perfectly positioned. He fielded it on 2 hops stepped on first and threw to 2nd where Aaron Bailey made the tag, and......DOUBLE PLAY!! Just like that Wilson was one out away. The crowd was on their feet as 34 year old veteran Antonio Reynoso stepped into the box. Wilson set and delivered and Reynoso tagged the first pitch to deep right CF, with the entire stadium holding their collective breath, the speedy CF Tim Duncan chased back, and back on the warning track and MAKES THE CATCH!! The entire team mobbed Wilson and carried him off the field on their shoulders.
While Wilson reaching his prime might never make the Major Leagues, this was a moment he would call the most special one in his career up to this point. Wilson's gem was on the 6th No-Hitter in ITL league history and only the 2nd since the VBL/BSA take over.
Brian Wilson was the 82nd overall selection in the 2008 draft by the then Bugaboo Creek Caribou. He grew up in Shelby, Montana and played his college ball at the University of North Carolina. He was traded by the formerly known Edison Colonels, now Boston Rebels, to the Jersey Shore D-Bags in the off-season of 2011 in the Rob Whitley trade. This is his 6th season of pitching at the AAA level and 4th for the Tuscaloosa Trout Slayers. He is currently tied with John Sharp of the Indianapolis organization with 63 wins which is the most in ITL history.
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