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Hitless in Seattle: Iwakuma becomes 2nd Japanese-born pitcher to throw no-hitter in MLB

August 12, 2015
Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma tosses a baseball as he poses for a photo in front of the manual scoreboard at Safeco Field after he threw a no-hitter against the Baltimore Orioles in a baseball game Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2015, in Seattle. The Mariners won 3-0. (AP Photo/Ted S.)

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma tosses a baseball as he poses for a photo in front of the manual scoreboard at Safeco Field after he threw a no-hitter against the Baltimore Orioles in a baseball game Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2015, in Seattle. The Mariners won 3-0. (AP Photo/Ted S.)

SEATTLE (AP) — Hisashi Iwakuma has become the second Japanese-born pitcher in major league history to throw a no-hitter, leading the Seattle Mariners to a 3-0 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday.

Iwakuma struck out seven and walked three in throwing the first no-hitter by an American League pitcher in nearly three years. He joins Hideo Nomo, who threw two no-nos, as the only Japanese-born pitchers to accomplish the feat.

Iwakuma is the fourth pitcher to throw a no-hitter this season, joining Philadelphia’s Cole Hamels — prior to his trade to Texas — Washington’s Max Scherzer and San Francisco’s Chris Heston.

Iwakuma is the first American League pitcher to throw a no-hitter since teammate Felix Hernandez tossed a perfect game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Aug. 15, 2012.