What a night for the Chicago Cubs and the reigning National League Cy Young award winner Jake Arrieta.
The Cubs improved to 12-4 on the young season, the best record in baseball, with the 16-0 victory over the Reds on Thursday behind Jake Arrieta’s second career no-hitter.
The 12-4 start to the season equals the best mark through 16 games for the franchise in 109 years (1908, 1913, 1970), the 1907 Cubs began the year 13-3.
Jake Arrieta is 4-0 in four starts with a 0.87 ERA and 0.68 WHIP. Arrieta has allowed three runs, all earned, on 15 hits with six walks and 26 strikeouts in 31 innings. Arrieta has not given up a run in his last two starts (17 innings).
In Arrieta’s first no-hitter last Aug. 30 at Dodger Stadium, he struck out 12 batters with one walk on 116 pitches. Thursday, Arrieta issued four walks and struck out six on 119 pitches.
Arrieta’s command was off early in the game. Arrieta admitted he did not have his best stuff. David Ross said Arrieta was probably off for the first four or five innings. It took him 85 pitches to complete six innings on Thursday night. Arrieta needed only 18 pitches to complete the seventh and eighth innings.
Joe Maddon said after the game he never thought about taking Arrieta out. Maddon explained the decision was made in Spring Training that if a pitcher had a chance for a no-hitter they would let him go for it, no matter the pitch count.
“Pitch counts go out the window when it comes to no-hitters,” Maddon said. The Cubs did not have anyone warming in the pen either. “I didn’t want to send that negative vibe out there,” Maddon said.
David Ross caught his first no-hitter. Ross said after the game he was on cloud nine. And it meant a lot for Ross’ teammates that he caught Arrieta’s no-hitter. Arrieta texted his wife after the game, his first text … “Did it for Rossy.”
Jake Arrieta completed the 15th no-hitter in franchise history, his second in his last 11 regular season starts. There were only nine starts in between Arrieta’s no-no’s.
Arrieta became the first pitcher to no-hit the Reds in a regular season game since the Phillies’ Rick Wise on June 23, 1971 at Riverfront Stadium. The Reds went nearly 45 years and 7,109 regular season games between being no-hit, the second longest no-hit streak in the history of the game.
Jake Arrieta has recorded at least a quality start in each of his last 24 starts, tying him for the third longest streak in Major League history. Arrieta is 20-1 with a 0.86 ERA and 0.70 WHIP over his last 24 regular season starts with two no-hitters. Arrieta has struck out 173 batters with 33 walks and in 14 of his last 24 starts he’s not allowed a run.
Jake Arrieta’s next scheduled start is Wednesday at Wrigley Field against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Jake Arrieta No-Hitter Facts and Info
Here are several fun facts from Arrieta’s second no-hitter:
• Jake Arrieta is the third Cubs’ pitcher, second since 1900, to throw multiple no-hitters. Ken Holtzman (1969, 1971) and Larry Corcoran (1880, 1882, 1884) completed multiple no hitters for the franchise.
• Arrieta is the first Cubs’ pitcher to toss a no-hitter in consecutive seasons.
• Arrieta became the fourth pitcher to throw a no-hitter the season after he won the Cy Young Award. Arrieta joined Clayton Kershaw (2014), Bob Gibson (1971) and Sandy Koufax (1964).
• The 16-0 win is the largest margin of victory in a no-hitter in the Modern era (since 1900). The Major League record was set in 1884 when Pud Galvin of the Buffalo Bisons beat the Detroit Wolverines 18-0.
• Arrieta has thrown two no-hitters since the last time he lost a game.
• In MLB History, only two pitchers made fewer starts between no-hitters than Jake Arrieta … Johnny Vander Meer (0) and Warren Spahn (5).
• Arrieta is the first Cubs pitcher with multiple hits in a no-hitter since Sam Jones on May 12, 1955.
Thursday’s Post-Game Reports
- The Sun-Times – Ross catches a career-first with Arrieta’s no-hitter
- Comcast SportsNet – Ten Takeaways from another Jake Arrieta no hitter and an unforgettable night for the Cubs
- ESPN Chicago – Jake Arrieta, David Ross share spotlight in pitcher’s second no-hitter
- The Tribune – Cubs teammates happy for David Ross catching first no-hitter
- The Tribune – Cubs’ offense takes a warm backseat to Jake Arrieta’s no-hitter
- Sports Illustrated – Arrieta throws second no-hitter, furthers claim as game’s best starter
- The Score – Maddon on Arrieta: ‘You never want to interfere with greatness.’
News and Notes
• Kris Bryant is 5-for-11 with three home runs, eight RBI and five runs scored in Arrieta’s two no-hitters.
• Kyle Schwarber returned to Chicago on Thursday as planned, according to Carrie Muskat.
• RHP Pierce Johnson was activated from the 7-day disabled list. Johnson pitched five innings and allowed one run on six hits with a walk and six strikeouts on Thursday. Iowa’s game with New Orleans was suspended due to rain in the top of the seventh.
• Ken Rosenthal: Baseball’s drug program will never be perfect, but how close can it get?
And last, but not least, the Dodgers tweeted Thursday night after Arrieta’s no hitter, “Hey @Reds, Arrieta no-hitter support group meets on Mondays.”
This Day in Cubstory
2006 – Cubs signed free agent Kerry Ligtenberg
1993 – Cubs current pitching coach, Chris Bosio pitched a no-hitter for the Seattle Mariners. Bosio walked the first two batters he faced and Omar Vizquel made several plays behind Bosio to keep the no hitter intact. Bosio recorded the no-no in a 7-0 win over the Red Sox and made only 97 pitches.
1980 – Ivan DeJesus hit for the cycle and Barry Foote drove in eight runs that included a game-winning Grand Slam with two outs in the ninth in a 16-12 victory over the Cardinals at Wrigley Field. The Cubs trailed 12-6 at one point and Barry Foote tied the game in the eighth with a solo home run.
1976 – Cubs released Tom Dettore
1970 – Cubs traded Jim Qualls to the Expos for Garry Jestadt
1966 – Mickey Morandini, born
1959 – Terry Francona, born
1934 – Lon Warneke pitched his second consecutive one-hitter. Ripper Collins recorded a double in the fifth inning. The Cubs pounded the Cardinals 15-2 in St. Louis behind 22 hits. Gabby Hartnett and Chuck Klein homered and the Cubs did the damage against Dizzy and Daffy Dean.
1908 – Fabian Kowalik, born
1901 – Taylor Douthit, born
1895 – Bob Smith, born