Five MLB no-hitters have averaged just 21,000 fans

Matt Garza’s no-hitter wasn’t a box-office hit. Just 17,009 fans were at Tropicana Field on Monday when Garza faced 27 Detroit Tigers and yielded just one baserunner — on a walk — who was erased by a double play in the next at bat. That’s 43% fewer people than the 29,832 who have attended the average major-league game this year. But Garza’s wasn’t even the most sparsely attended no-hitter this season. When Dallas Braden threw a perfect game against the Rays on Mother’s Day, just 12,228 fans showed up. Overall the five no-hitters this season have had average attendance of just 21,100 people (that’s 21,169, according to Baseball Reference’s attendance figures for the games). Only Ubaldo Jimenez’s no-hitter in April was seen by more people than the average game this season, and just barely: Attendance was 32,602. If this really is the year of the pitcher, fans haven’t turned out for its top pitching moments. — Wall Street Journal