Francisco Córdova (baseball)

{{Infobox baseball biography

| name = Francisco Córdova

| image =

| caption =

| team =

| number =

| position = Pitcher

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1972|4|26}}

| birth_place = Cerro Azul, Veracruz, Mexico

| bats = Right

| throws = Right

| debutleague = MLB

| debutdate = April 2

| debutyear = 1996

| debutteam = Pittsburgh Pirates

| finalleague = MLB

| finaldate = August 8

| finalyear = 2000

| finalteam = Pittsburgh Pirates

| statyear =

| statleague = MLB

| stat1label = Win–loss record

| stat1value = 42–47

| stat2label = Earned run average

| stat2value = 3.96

| stat3label = Strikeouts

| stat3value = 537

| teams =

Pittsburgh Pirates ({{mlby|1996}}–{{mlby|2000}})

| highlights =

Pitched a combined no-hitter on July 12, 1997

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry | {{MEX}} }}

}}

Francisco Córdova (born April 26, 1972) is a Mexican former Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher.

Career

On January 18, 1996, Córdova was signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates as an amateur free agent. He made his major league debut on April 2, 1996. The following year, on July 12, {{mlby|1997}}, at a sold out Three Rivers Stadium, he pitched nine innings of a combined 10-inning no-hitter for the Pirates. Ricardo Rincón pitched the 10th inning. The Pirates won the game on a dramatic three-run, pinch hit home run in the bottom of the 10th by Mark Smith. This game pitched by Córdova and Rincón is recognized as the only combined, extra-inning no-hitter in modern MLB history and is the last no-hitter in Pirates history to date.[http://archive.sportingnews.com/baseball/ballparks/threerivers.html Sporting News description and assertion of first combined extra-innings no hitter] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060623191800/http://archive.sportingnews.com/baseball/ballparks/threerivers.html |date=2006-06-23 }}; [https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PIT/PIT199707120.shtml Box score via Baseball Reference]{{Cite web |url=http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/gallery/featured/GAL1137746/11/26/index.htm |title=Most Recent No-hitters By Team |access-date=2008-05-24 |archive-date=2008-10-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081019051631/http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/gallery/featured/GAL1137746/11/26/index.htm |url-status=dead }} Córdova would go on to post an 11–8 record that season. He would post a 13–14 record in {{mlby|1998}}, to go with a 3.31 ERA.

His career was shorted by arm troubles. After going through reconstructive elbow surgery in 2001, and missing the entire 2002 season, he signed with the San Diego Padres before the 2003 season,{{Cite web|url=https://www.upi.com/Sports_News/2002/11/19/Padres-sign-two-veteran-pitchers/54111037761135/|title = Padres sign two veteran pitchers}} but failed to make the team after spring training and he retired with a 42–47 record.

After his MLB stint, Cordova pitched in his native Mexico from 2002 through 2011 with the Mexico City Tigres, the Mexico City Diablos Rojos, and the Petroleros de Minatitlán.