Dustin McGowan pitching a no-hitter into the ninth yesterday reminded me of the final regular season game of the season, September 27, 1998.
I was sitting in aisle 120, row 20, seat 4, and the Jays were facing the Detroit Tigers. A young Roy Halladay was on the mound and he was pitching a gem. He entered the ninth inning with a no-hitter and retired the first two batters he faced. I was going to witness the second no-hitter in franchise history.
I didn't. In fact, there's yet to be a second no-hitter after Dave Stieb's in 1990. Still, whenever I see a pitcher lose his no-hit bid in the ninth, I think about that September day at SkyDome when we were oh so close.
