Runge: The no-no ump

Amid the chaos of the starter leaving with an injury, a two-base throwing error, three walks and five pitching changes, Brian Runge wasn’t paying attention to the history the Seattle Mariners were making.

When six Mariners pitchers tossed the 10th combined no-hitter in major league history Friday night, Runge found his own chapter in the annals of baseball umpires.

Runge was the home plate umpire for Friday’s no-hitter in the Mariners’ 1-0 win over the Dodgers. And he was behind the plate April 21 in Seattle when the White Sox’s Philip Humber threw the 21st perfect game in baseball history.

Runge is the first umpire since Drew Coble in 1990 to be behind the plate for two no-hitters in one season.

“It’s an amazing story, just to be a part of it and be on the field, but then to be behind the plate both games,” Runge said Sunday before the finale of the Mariners’ series against the Dodgers. “You can’t really write that stuff. It was storybook.”

Runge has now been behind the plate for three no-hitters. The first was Jonathan Sanchez’s no-hitter for San Francisco on July 10, 2009. Runge is in his 14th major league season and is part of the only three-generation umpiring family in baseball history. His grandfather Ed and his father Paul were both major league umps.

And all three have been behind the plate for a no-hitter.

During Humber’s perfect game and during Sanchez’s no-hitter, Runge said he didn’t start grasping what was happening until about the eighth inning. It was going to the bottom of the eighth, to be exact, when Humber’s perfect game started sinking in, leading to the “longest nine outs there was for me.”

“I had to tell myself every pitch, call the pitch, watch the pitch, almost like umpire school type thing, and I’ve been here 14 years now,” Runge said.

Braves activate Jones from DL

Chipper Jones was activated from the 15-day disabled list in time to start against Toronto.

The Braves optioned outfielder Jose Constanza to Triple-A Gwinnett.

As expected, the Braves also called up right-hander Julio Teheran from Gwinnett to start and optioned backup catcher J.C. Boscan to Gwinnett.

Jones missed 14 games after he was placed on the disabled list on May 26 with a left calf contusion. He went 0 for 3 on Sunday.

Boston puts reliever Hill on DL

The Boston Red Sox have placed reliever Rich Hill on the 15-day disabled list with tightness in his left elbow. Hill had Tommy John surgery on the elbow a year ago and will be examined today.

Boston recalled RHP Mark Melancon from Triple-A Pawtucket to replace Hill in the bullpen and activated him prior to taking on Washington.