Andy Hawkins

 ( 1960 Births ) 

In the following year, Hawkins struggled for a very poor Yankees team. On May 8, with just one win and an ERA of 8.56, Hawkins was offered his outright release, which he accepted, although an injury that night to pitcher Mike Witt changed his mind. Hawkins pitched much better in his next three starts, although he still had only a 1–4 record three months into the season.

Hawkins allowed no hits while pitching a complete game but lost a 4–0 decision to the Chicago White Sox in the Yankees' final appearance at Comiskey Park on July 1, 1990. He retired both Ron Karkovice and Scott Fletcher on infield pop-outs to second baseman Steve Sax to start the eighth inning before Sammy Sosa reached first base safely on a fielding error by third baseman Mike Blowers. After Hawkins walked Ozzie Guillén and Lance Johnson to load the bases, the White Sox scored three unearned runs when a wind-aided ball hit by Robin Ventura glanced off left fielder Jim Leyritz's glove for a two-base error. The last run of the inning resulted from right fielder Jesse Barfield misplaying a ball hit by Iván Calderón by losing it in the sun and dropping it for another two-base error. Martinez, Michael. "No-Hitter, but With No Glory," The New York Times, Monday, July 2, 1990. Retrieved December 4, 2021

Major League Baseball does not consider this effort an official no-hitter, because Hawkins only completed eight innings pitched. On September 4, 1991, the Committee for Statistical Accuracy, appointed by commissioner Fay Vincent, changed the definition of a no-hitter to require that a pitcher must throw or a pitching staff combine for at least nine full innings and a complete game for the no-hitter to be official. Since Hawkins played for the visiting team, the White Sox never batted in the ninth inning, meaning Hawkins lost credit for a no-hitter. The game was also notable for being a double no-hitter into the sixth inning (and a double perfect game into the fifth), as White Sox starter Greg Hibbard retired the first 16 batters he faced before Bob Geren reached base on an infield single in the sixth.

In his next appearance on July 6, he faced the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium in the opening game of a doubleheader. Hawkins pitched a shutout into the twelfth inning but wound up losing 2–0. Since then, no starting pitcher has pitched in an MLB game into the twelfth inning or later.

In his following appearance on July 12 in the Bronx, the Yankees lost a six-inning no-hitter to Mélido Pérez and the White Sox. Likewise, that game is not considered an official no-hitter, as the game was shortened to seven innings due to rain. This stretch of three unlucky starts was followed with his worst start of the season, at home on July 17 against the Kansas City Royals. Hawkins labored through 4 innings and surrendered eight runs on the strength of four homeruns, including three by Bo Jackson, and took the loss in a 10-7 Kansas City victory. Hawkins finished 1990 with a 5–12 record and a 5.37 ERA in 157 innings pitched.

Hawkins started off the 1991 season poorly as well, appearing in four games and going 0–2 before being taken out of the rotation, giving up 14 earned runs in 12 innings. The Yankees released Hawkins on May 9, two days after he lasted only 2 innings and surrendered four earned runs and five hits (including two homeruns) to the California Angels on May 7 in Anaheim. He signed with the Oakland Athletics more than a week later; he compiled a 4–4 record with a 4.79 ERA in 77 innings before the Athletics released him in mid-August. In what would be his final major league appearance on August 4 against the Twins in Oakland Hawkins faced only one batter, striking out Scott Leius swinging.

In his three seasons in the American League, Hawkins also struggled mightily while pitching in Fenway Park. In three career starts there against the Boston Red Sox, Hawkins managed a total of just one inning, giving up 18 earned runs.