The Venezuelan pitcher Johan Santana made Major League Baseball history last Friday by pitching the first no-hit game on record for the New York Mets, who claimed an 8-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.

Santana becomes the first Mets pitcher ever to achieve this distinction in 51 years, and the fourth Venezuelan after Wilson Alvarez (with the Chicago White Sox on August 11, 1991), Aníbal Sánchez (with the Florida Marlins on September 6, 2006), and Carlos Zambrano (with the Chicago Cubs on September 14, 2008).

The Venezuelan player, a native of the western state of Mérida, threw 134 pitches (a career record) and earned 8 strikeouts and 5 walks. The first out of the game came when Santana struck out the fifth batter, David Freese.

Santana was out last season after having surgery on his pitching shoulder.

AVN/ Press – Venezuelan Embassy to the U.S. / June 4, 2012