Fans at Rogers Centre witness history from the losing side

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TORONTO, Ont. – It was a bitter-sweet day for Toronto Blue Jays fans as they were treated to an awe-inspiring performance – by the other team’s pitcher.

The Toronto Blue Jays were on the losing-end of a no-hitter Saturday afternoon, which is one of the rarest feats in professional sports. A no-hitter means just that – the Jays were unable to get a single hit against Detroit Tigers’ pitcher Justin Verlander throughout the entire game.

“It was all Detroit Tigers as history was made at the Rogers Centre,” said Mike Wilner of Sportsnet Radio The Fan 590. “The Tigers beat the Blue Jays 9-0 with Justin Verlander throwing a no-hitter,”

It only took Verlander, 28, an impressive 108-pitches to shutout the Jays at home. The no-hitter was only the second to ever be thrown at the Rogers Centre – both coming against the Jays.

His fastball was described as “electric,” while his curveball had Jays’ batters buckling at the knees.

“Three times in the eighth-inning Verlander reached 101 miles per hour (on the radar gun),” Wilner said of Verlander’s frightening fastball.

While his no-hitter was certainly impressive – it was only the fourth in Blue Jays history and the 271st in the lengthy history of Major League Baseball – perhaps more impressive was the fact that he was only one pitch away from a perfect game.

Verlander walked Jays’ catcher J.P. Arencibia in the eight-inning to blow his perfect game, which is a game in which no batters are walked, struck with a ball, manage a hit or manage to get on-base through an error. There have only been 18 perfect games pitched since 1900.

Verlander’s feat caps-off an historic few days for Major League Baseball. Minnesota Twins’ pitcher Francisco Liriano also enjoyed a no-hit victory earlier this week.

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