In his first-ever outing against his former team, the Arizona Diamondbacks, Giants lefty Randy Johnson was perfect through four innings and took a no-hitter into the seventh inning en route to career win No. 296.

When D-Backs shortstop Augie Ojeda doubled to lead off the seventh, it ended Johnson’s chance at becoming the oldest pitcher in major league history to pitch a no-no. Despite the failed bid, the 45-year-old veteran already is one of just four hurlers to work a no-hitter in his 40s.

No-Hitters by Pitchers Age 40 or Older, All-Time

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Date/Opponent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Age
Nolan Ryan. . . . . . . .5/01/1991 vs. Tor. . . . . . . . . . . 44 years, 90 days
Nolan Ryan. . . . . . . .6/11/1990 at Oak. . . . . . . . . . . .43 years, 131 days
Cy Young. . . . . . . . .6/30/1908 at NYY. . . . . . . . . . . .41 years, 93 days
Randy Johnson. . . . .5/18/2004 at Atl. . . . . . . . . . . . .40 years, 251 days
Warren Spahn. . . . . 4/28/1961 vs. SF. . . . . . . . . . . . .40 years, 5 days

Hall of Famer Cy Young was the oldest major leaguer to throw a no-no for more than 80 years, but it took Nolan Ryan less than 11 months to eclipse his own mark after he no-hit Oakland and struck out 14 A’s on June 11, 1990.

Interestingly, roughly seven weeks before Ryan became the oldest pitcher to toss a no-hitter, he worked the 12th one-hitter of his career on April 26, 1990, tying Bob Feller for the most all time. Ryan would throw two more no-hitters after that 16-strikeout performance against the White Sox, but he never surpassed Feller’s mark for one-hitters.

Ryan came close to becoming the oldest pitcher with a no-hitter almost exactly a year prior to his final one-hit performance -- on April 23, 1989. Facing the Texas Rangers, he lost a no-hit bid when Nelson Liriano tripled off the hard-throwing right-hander with one out in the ninth inning. Ryan had to settle for his 10th one-hitter, and he worked his 11th in Seattle that June. No one can say Ryan was just sticking around in his 40s.

Johnson isn’t the only 40-something to flirt with a no-no this season. On Wednesday, 42-year-old knuckleballer Tim Wakefield was five outs away from the first no-hitter of his career in Oakland when Kurt Suzuki ended his chance to become the second-oldest pitcher to accomplish the feat.

Wakefield’s outing isn’t the only time in recent memory that a Red Sox hurler in his 40s was positioned to join this elite group. On June 7, 2007, also in Oakland, 40-year-old Curt Schilling was one out away from his first career no-no with Shannon Stewart at the plate. Schilling shook off his catcher, Jason Varitek, to throw a fastball instead of a slider. Stewart lined the pitch into right field for the A’s only hit of the game.

“I was sure he was taking, and Tek was sure he was swinging,” Schilling said after the game. “And I was wrong.” The right-hander said he had shaken off 5-10 pitches called by Varitek that day, adding “it was one too many.”

Remarkably, it was not the first time a Boston pitcher shook off Varitek and lost a no-hitter in the ninth inning. Facing Tampa Bay on Aug. 29, 2000, Pedro Martinez opted for a fastball instead of the curveball called by Varitek, and Devil Rays catcher John Flaherty singled for his team’s only hit. Martinez was all of 28 at the time.