Marlins' Alvarez pitches no-hitter in last game of season

Miami Marlins right-hander Henderson Alvarez had not allowed a hit after nine innings Sunday, but the game against the Detroit Tigers was scoreless heading to the bottom of the ninth.

Alvarez had struck out four, walked one and hit a batter. Twice the Tigers were robbed of hits by fine defensive plays, including Alvarez's leaping snare of Don Kelly's one-hopper before he threw to first for the second out in the ninth.

Alvarez struck out Matt Tuiasosopo on a 3-2 pitch — his 99th — to end the top of the ninth.

The Marlins loaded the bases with two out in the bottom of the 9th against Detroit reliever Luke Putkonen. With pinch hitter Greg Dobbs at the plate, Putkonen's wild pitch allowed Giancarlo Stanton to score from third with the winning run, thus assuring Alvarez a place in baseball history. It is believed to be the first no-hitter to end on a walk-off wild pitch.

Baseball appointed an eight-man committee on statistical accuracy in 1991 that defined no-hitters as games of nine innings or more that ended with no hits. That dropped 50 disputed games from the no-hit list.

Alvarez's no-no was the third of the 2013 season (joining Homer Bailey and Tim Lincecum) and the 282nd no-hitter in baseball history.

It was the final game of the season for the last-place Marlins. The Tigers, winners of the American League Central Division, begin the playoffs Friday in Oakland.

Al Jazeera and The Associated Press