Astros' Ronel Blanco Throws Historic 14.2 Hitless Innings to Open 2024 MLB Season | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

Houston Astros pitcher Ronel Blanco has had quite the start to his 2024 MLB season.

After tossing a no-hitter in his first start against the Toronto Blue Jays, Blanco kept his streak going through 5.2 innings of his second start against the defending champion Texas Rangers.

MLB @MLB

Ronel Blanco gave it another run!<br><br>His bid for a second straight no-hitter ends after 5 2/3 innings on <a href="">#SundayNightBaseball</a>. <a href="">

MLB @MLB

Historic beginning to the season for Ronel Blanco! 👏👏<br><br>His 44 outs before his first hit allowed are the most by a pitcher to begin a season in at least the expansion era (1961).<br><br>h/t <a href="">@EliasSports</a> <a href="">

This is the longest no-hit streak to start a season since at least 1961, per Elias Sports Bureau, and only allowing a single hit through the first 15 innings of a season is also a MLB record, per OptaStats.

OptaSTATS @OptaSTATS

Ronel Blanco of the <a href="">@astros</a> is the only MLB pitcher in the modern era to throw 15.0+ innings and allow no more than 1 hit over his first 2 starts of a season. <a href="">

The only player in MLB history to throw back-to-back no-hitters was Cincinnati Reds pitcher Johnny Vander Meer in 1938.

Mark Berman @MarkBerman_

Johnny Vander Meer, with the Reds in 1938, the only pitcher to throw back-to-back no-hitters. Ronel Blanco made a terrific run at making history.

Blanco made his major league debut in 2022 but did not debut as a starting pitcher until June 2023. This was his ninth career start and he entered the game with a 4-1 career record.

Houston has slumped to a 3-7 start to the year, but Blanco has been a bright spot as he has accounted for two of the wins. He still has not allowed an earned run in his 15 innings, but he still has awhile to go in order to contend with the longest scoreless streaks among starters in league history.