Two Brewers combine for record ninth no-hitter

CLEVELAND — 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 Major League Baseball 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. YANKEES 8, METS 7 Aaron Judge tied it with his second home run of the game in the eighth inning, Mets infielder Javier Baez gave away the lead with an error a few at-bats later and the New York Yankees beat their crosstown rival at Citi Field.

DIAMONDBACKS 7, MARINERS 3

Daulton Varsho homered and drove in four runs and Arizona beat Seattle to snap a six-game losing streak.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

GIANTS 15, CUBS 4 Tommy La Stella and Brandon Belt hit three-run home runs and San Francisco pounded Chicago for its sixth consecutive victory. DODGERS 5, PADRES 4 Mookie Betts hit a tiebreaking, three-run home run with two outs in the fifth inning and Los Angeles beat San Diego. CARDINALS 6, REDS 4 Nolan Arenado hit a two-run home run in the eighth and had three RBI to help St. Louis beat Cincinnati. MARLINS 6, BRAVES 4 Bryan De La Cruz and Jesus Sanchez hit back-to-back home runs in the eighth inning against Richard Rodriguez, lifting Miami to a victory over Atlanta. PHILLIES 6, ROCKIES 1 Zack Wheeler steadied the slumping Phillies with eight strikeouts and Bryce Harper homered to lead Philadelphia to a victory over Colorado. PIRATES 10, NATIONALS 7 Bryan Reynolds hit his 23rd home run of the season and drove in three runs as Pittsburgh defeated Washington.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

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. RED SOX 9, WHITE SOX 8 (10) Travis Shaw hit a tiebreaking single in the 10th inning after belting a three-run home run in the third and Boston beat the Chicago. ANGELS 4, ASTROS 2 Luis Rengifo homered with three RBI to lead Los Angeles to a win over Houston.

RANGERS 8, ATHLETICS 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.

BLUE JAYS 11-11, ORIOLES 10-2 Bo Bichette and Alejandro Kirk hit a pair of two-run home runs in an 11-run seventh and Toronto beat Baltimore to complete a doubleheader sweep. In the opener, George Springer hit a two-out, tworun home run in the seventh.

TWINS 9, ROYALS 2 Jorge Polanco hit two of Minnesota’s five home runs, Michael Pineda pitched five strong innings in his return to the rotation and the Twins beat Kansas City.