LAKEWOOD, New Jersey (Ticker) -- Gavin Floyd on Tuesday tossed the first nine-inning no-hitter in the history of Lakewood BlueClaws, but dropped a 1-0 decision to the Lexington Legends in a Class A South Atlantic League matchup.

Floyd, the fourth overall pick of the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2001 draft, became just the third pitcher in the league's 42-year history to throw a no-hitter and suffer a loss.

Overall, he threw 97 pitches, 59 for strikes, and yielded an unearned run while fanning eight and walking one. He retired the final 12 batters he faced. In the sixth inning, leadoff batter Charleton Jimerson reached when Floyd made a poor throw on a bunt. Jimerson then stole second and took third when catcher Ben Margalski committed a throwing error. He then scored on a sacrifice fly by Reinaldo Ruiz.

Floyd, a 19-year-old Maryland native, used a steady diet of fastballs through the first six innings and later relied on a nasty breaking ball and strong changeup to keep the hitters off-balance. He needed just 27 pitches to make it through the first three frames and accomplished his gem against a team composed of older and more experienced players because Houston has no high Class-A affliate.

"That was about as much of a dominant game as I've seen in a long time," BlueClaws manager Jeff Manto said. "To go through that lineup the way he did is utter dominance ... but it's bittersweet."

Despite starting the season 3-1, Floyd was unable to last past the sixth inning during his first 10 starts. Yet over his last 10 outings, he has reached the seventh eight times. Overall, he lowered his ERA to 2.88 and has recorded 110 strikeouts in 122 innings.

"I felt my fastball tonight and I went after them," Floyd said. "I wasn't letting up."

Lexington's Larry Tolliver threw a no-hitter in a 3-2 loss on July 28, 1966 and Earnest Milius also suffered a 2-0 defeat in his no-hit gem for Rock Hill on May 13, 1963.

It was the second no-hitter in Lakewood's two-year history. Keith Bucktrot threw a seven-inning gem on April 12, 2000 in an 11-1 victory over Hickory in the second game of a doubleheader.