After delivering the first no-hitter in New York Mets history, Johan Santana admitted he entered this season with decidedly lower expectations.
"Amazing. Coming into this season, I was just hoping to come back, be healthy and help this team. And now I'm in this situation, in the greatest city in baseball. I'm just happy for you guys -- finally, the first one," Santana said, pointing at the Citi Field crowd.
Even Friday night along the path into the record books, Santana had to fight himself.
"I was just hoping everything would work out quick, just trying to get ahead in the count. It was a crazy night, trying to command my fastball moving all over the place," Santana noted after walking five batters in the no-hitter. "But I was able to locate some command, get some quick outs and get out of there."
Out of there, yes, and into history.
(And also into a pie-in-the-face.)
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