Brewers’ Burnes and Hader combine on record no-hitter
In a sometimes sticky season, Corbin Burnes got a grip on history.
Milwaukee’s ace combined with reliever Josh Hader to pitch baseball’s record ninth no-hitter this season, breaking a mark set when pitchers began throwing overhand in 1884 as the Brewers beat the Cleveland Indians 3-0 on Saturday night.
Months after MLB clamped down on pitchers’ use of illicit foreign substances following a rash of early no-hitters, Burnes cemented 2021 as the Season of the No-No with just the second no-hitter in Brewers history.
“It was a masterpiece,” Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said.
Burnes (10-4) struck out 14 with a career-high 115 pitches over eight innings, taking a perfect game into the seventh while overpowering the Indians, who were no-hit for a record third time in 2021. All of those came with starter Zach Plesac on the mound.
This time, Cleveland was stymied by Burnes — who has become a Cy Young contender as the Brewers run away with the NL Central — and Hader, one of the game’s top closers.
“Anyone would want to keep pitching in that situation, but if there was anyone I would want out there for the ninth, it would be Josh Hader,” Burnes said. “There were no nerves with him. It was more like a done deal when he came in.”
The right-handed Burnes was in control from the start, striking out 11 of his first 14 hitters and retiring the first 18 in order. After walking Myles Straw to start the seventh, the 26-yearold got through the eighth thanks to a diving catch by center fielder Lorenzo Cain on Owen Miller’s liner.
“I was definitely on my horse, ready to go get that one,” Cain said. “You need a little bit of everything to go right in a no-hitter.”
The Progressive Field crowd booed as Hader came on in the ninth. He overpowered Oscar Mercado, striking him out to start the inning. Then, first baseman Jace Peterson went into foul territory to making a lunging catch for the second out.
Hader ended the no-hitter by getting Straw to flail at a pitch in the dirt for his 31st save. The Brewers stormed the field to share hugs and high-fives with a signature victory.
GIANTS 15, CUBS 4 >> Tommy La Stella and Brandon Belt hit three-run homers and San Francisco pounded Chicago for its sixth straight victory and improved to a major league-best 92-50. RANGERS 8, A’S 6 >> Jonah Heim hit a two-run home run with two outs in the eighth to cap a five-run rally, lifting Texas past Oakland.
Trailing 6-2 after being held down by starter Cole Irvin, the Rangers took advantage of the A’s struggling bullpen. DJ Peters hit a two-run home run and Yohel Pozo added an RBI double off Sergio Romo before Heim’s homer.
BLUE JAYS 11-11, ORIOLES 10-2 >> George Springer hit a twoout, two-run homer in the seventh inning to lift Toronto past Baltimore in the first game of a doubleheader.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit his 43rd home run of the season to move within one of the Angels’ Shohei Ohtani for the major league lead.
Bo Bichette and Alejandro Kirk hit a pair of tworun homers in an 11-run seventh as Toronto won the nigthcap to complete the sweep.
RAYS 7, TIGERS 2 >> Joey Wendle tripled and homered, 30-year-old Dietrich Enns won for the first time in the major leagues and Tampa Bay beat Detroit.
Enns (1-0) struck out six in four hitless innings of relief, nine years after being drafted by the New York Yankees out of Central Michigan.
CARDINALS 6, REDS 4 >> Nolan Arenado hit a two-run homer in the eighth and had three RBIs and St. Louis beat Cincinnati. St. Louis has won three of four and gained a game on Cincinnati in the NL wild-card race.
PHILLIES 6, ROCKIES 1 >> Zack Wheeler won his third straight start, striking out eight, to lead Philadelphia past Colorado.
PIRATES 10, NATIONALS 7 >> Bryan Reynolds hit his 23rd home run of the season and drove in three runs in Pittsburgh’s victory over Washington.
TWINS 9, ROYALS 2 >> Jorge Polanco hit two of his team’s five home runs as Minnesota beat Kansas City.
MARLINS 6, BRAVES 4 >> Bryan De La Cruz and Jesús Sánchez hit back-to-back home runs in the eighth inning to lead Miami over Atlanta.
YANKEES 8, METS 7 >> Aaron Judge tied it with his second homer of the game in the eighth inning, Mets infielder Javier Báez gave away the lead with an error a few at-bats later and the Yankees snapped a seven-game skid .
DIAMONDBACKS 7, MARINERS 3 >> Daulton Varsho homered and drove in four runs as Arizona ended a six-game losing streak.