Chicago Cubs pitcher Zach Davies threw six scoreless innings to lead four pitchers in a combined 4-0 no-hit victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday for a record-equalling seventh no-hitter of the 2021 Major League Baseball season.
A superb performance saw the 28-year-old Davies stymie the Dodgers potent batting line-up with 58 strikes from 94 pitches, with four strikeouts and five walks at a packed Dodger Stadium.
Ryan Tepera, Andrew Chafin and Craig Kimbrel then closed out the combined no-no for the Cubs to equal the modern-era record of seven no-hitters in a season, previously achieved in 1990, 1991, 2012 and 2015.
The all-time record for no-hitters in a single season, which pre-dates modern rule changes, stands at eight set in 1884.
Kimbrel clinched the 17th no-hitter in Cubs history — and first combined no-no — by striking out Will Smith in the bottom of the ninth after getting rid of Albert Pujols and Cody Bellinger.
The seven no-hitters leaves Major League Baseball firmly on track to set a new all-time record with more than half of the regular season remaining.
This season’s tally doesn’t even include Arizona Diamondbacks left-hander Madison Bumgarner‘s no-hit win over the Atlanta Braves in April.
That was deemed ineligible as a no-hitter because it took place in the second game of a double-header scheduled only for seven innings and therefore his complete-game effort won’t count as official.
The New York Yankees Corey Kluber threw the sixth no-hitter of the season during a win over the Texas Rangers.
Spencer Turnbull of the Detroit Tigers, the Baltimore Orioles’ John Means, and the San Diego Padres’ Joe Musgrove have also thrown no-nos along with the Chicago White Sox’s Carlos Rodon and Cincinnati’s Wade Miley.
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