Tacoma starter Pat Wernig thought he struggled over the first few innings of this June 1991 game, then settled in and cruised, he told The Richmond Times-Dispatch.
By the time the last out came, a pop to right, Wernig had a no-hitter.
"It was kind of shocking," Wernig told his hometown Times-Dispatch. "Everybody was going nuts. I said, 'Wow. I did it."
Wernig threw that no-hitter in his fifth season as a pro and his first at AAA. He saw two more pro seasons, but he topped out there at AAA.
Wernig's career began in 1987, taken by the Athletics in the 15th round of the draft out of Texas A&M University.
Wernig started with the Athletics between short-season Medford and single-A Modesto. He went 2-4 between them, over 23 outings, three starts, with a 4.74 ERA.
He moved to single-A Madison for 1988 and went 11-6, with a 3.02 ERA in 26 starts. He threw a complete game for a 13-3, despite having a rough three-run inning in the third, The Wisconsin State Journal wrote.
"I just went into the soft stuff and the off-speed pitches that inning," Wernig told The Journal. "I went back to the fastball and had a lot of good movement on it."
Wernig made AA Huntsville for 1989. He went 7-6, with a 5.15 ERA in 17 starts. He returned to Huntsville for 1990 and went 5-4, with a 3.27 ERA in 19 outings, 11 starts.
He then played 1991 at AAA Tacoma. He ended 7-8 there, with a 1.91 ERA in 39 outings, 8 starts. In another outing that June, he provided key long relief after an injury to the starter, The Tacoma News Tribune wrote.
"Short relief is easier," Wernig told The News Tribune. "But things change, guys move up and I have to take on new roles."
Wernig started 1992 back at Huntsville. He then moved to AAA Las Vegas with the Padres. He saw 17 relief outings at Las Vegas. He then played 13 final games with the Angels at high-A Palm Springs in 1993 to end his career.
Wernig has since gone into coaching, serving as an assistant coach with Cox High School in Virginia Beach in 2024.
- Wisconsin State Journal, May 27, 1988: Wernig settles for victory
- Richmond Times-Dispatch, June 16, 1991: No-hitter was shock to Wernig
- Tacoma News Tribune, June 23, 1991: Wernig provides the relief, propels Tigers past Calgary
Made the Majors:1,396-32.4%
Never Made Majors:2,920-67.2%-X
10+ Seasons in the Minors:350
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