Arrieta throws 2nd no-hitter in a year

Chicago Cubs pitcher Jake Arrieta
Chicago Cubs pitcher Jake Arrieta

CINCINNATI — Jake Arrieta of the Chicago Cubs pitched his second no-hitter in a span of 11 regular-season starts, shutting down the Cincinnati Reds in a 16-0 rout Thursday night.

The reigning NL Cy Young winner threw the first no-hitter of the Major League Baseball season.

Arrieta (4-0) struck out 6, walked 4 and allowed only 6 balls hit out of the infield. He threw 119 pitches, retiring Eugenio Suarez on a routine flyball to right field to end it.

“Once I got to the eighth, that was the idea: Try to be good on the edges and not make any mistakes,” he said.

Arrieta threw his first career no-hitter Aug. 30 at Dodger Stadium, beating Los Angeles 2-0. That gem came as Arrieta put together one of the best pitching stretches in club history.

CUBS 16, REDS 0

He extended his club-record of 24 consecutive quality regular-season starts since June 21, going 20-1 with a 0.86 ERA.

The Reds hadn’t been held hitless in a regular-season game since 1971, when Rick Wise did it for Philadelphia at Riverfront Stadium. In the 2010 NL playoffs, Philadelphia’s Roy Halladay pitched a no-hitter against Cincinnati.

Arrieta is among several pitchers in the past decade to pitch two no-hitters. The 30-year-old righty is on the list with Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, Tim Lincecum and Homer Bailey.

“Baseball history, there’s so many things I’ve been able to be a part of over these last 12, 15 months,” Arrieta said. “We’re really trying to enjoy it.”

Arrieta is the first Cubs pitcher to win his first four starts in a season since Greg Maddux went 5-0 in 2006. Ken Holtzman is the only other Cubs pitcher to throw more than one no-hitter in the modern era, doing it in 1969 and 1971.

Kris Bryant homered twice, including a grand slam, and drove in six runs. Arrieta had two singles and a walk as the Cubs pulled away.

By Arrieta’s standards, it was a bit of a struggle. He walked three batters — he’d allowed only two walks in his first three starts combined — and needed 85 pitches to get through six innings.

“It felt sloppy from the get-go,” Arrieta said. “I was a little off on my command, but I was able to keep them off balance.”

After that, he dug in and made quick work of the Reds’ lineup.

Arrieta walked Scott Schebler to open the ninth, got pinch-hitter Tucker Barnhart on a popup, Zack Cozart on a fly to center, and Suarez on a fly to Jason Heyward.

Arrieta and catcher David Ross embraced halfway between home plate and the mound as the rest of the Cubs circled around him.

In September 2014, Arrieta lost a no-hit bid against the Reds on a oneout double in the eighth.

This time, the offense made the outcome a moot point while extending the Cubs’ best start since 1970.

Bryant hit a two-run shot in the first off Brandon Finnegan (1-1), and his third career grand slam in the seventh off Drew Hayes made it 13-0. Ben Zobrist and Ross added solo shots, and Anthony Rizzo had a three-run home run.

MARLINS 5, NATIONALS 1 Ichiro Suzuki had two hits, scored twice and made two sliding catches in right field for host Miami, which beat Max Scherzer and Washington. Bryce Harper hit his eighth home run for the Nationals, boosting his majors-leading RBI total to 22.

DODGERS 2, BRAVES 1 (10) Yasmani Grandal doubled in the go-ahead run in the 10th inning and visiting Los Angeles overcame a not-quite-overpowering performance by Clayton Kershaw, beating Atlanta. Enrique Hernandez singled with one out against Alexi Ogando (1-1) and scored on Grandal’s shot off the center-field wall. DIAMONDBACKS 6, GIANTS 2 Yasmani Tomas hit a go-ahead home run in the fourth, Paul Goldschmidt drove in two runs, and visiting Arizona beat San Francisco for a four-game sweep. Tyler Wagner (1-0) allowed two hits in five relief innings of Shelby Miller as Arizona wrapped up a 7-3 road trip with a fifth consecutive victory.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

ROYALS 4, TIGERS 0 Edinson Volquez tossed seven sharp innings, Mike Moustakas went deep and host Kansas City pounded Mike Pelfrey in a victory over Detroit. Volquez scattered 5 hits and 1 walk while striking out 5.

ANGELS 3, WHITE SOX 2 Mike Trout hit a two-run home run and reached base four times, helping back Jered Weaver as visiting Los Angeles Angels beat Chicago to close a 10-game road trip. RANGERS 7, ASTROS 4 Ian Desmond’s first home run of the season was good for three runs and A.J. Griffin outpitched 2015 American League Cy Young winner Dallas Keuchel (Arkansas Razorbacks) as host Texas beat Houston.

ATHLETICS 7, YANKEES 3 Khris Davis and Coco Crisp homered on consecutive pitches, backing Rich Hill’s six strong innings, and visiting Oakland beat New York.

ORIOLES 3, BLUE JAYS 2 Manny Machado doubled in the tiebreaking run in the eighth inning, and host Baltimore rallied to beat Toronto. Rookie Joey Rickard had three hits and scored the decisive run for the Orioles.

RAYS 12, RED SOX 8 Evan Longoria and Curt Casali hit home runs, and host Tampa Bay chased ex-teammate David Price in the fourth inning to beat Boston.

MARINERS 10, INDIANS 7 (10) Robinson Cano hit a three-run home run in the 10th inning off Cody Allen, lifting visiting Seattle over Cleveland. Cano had an earlier single and an RBI double in the sixth.

INTERLEAGUE

TWINS 8, BREWERS 1 Ricky Nolasco struck out 7 and allowed 5 hits over 6-plus innings, and visiting Minnesota snapped a season-opening, seven-game road losing streak by beating Milwaukee. Miguel Sano hit his second home run of the year and an added an RBI single for the Twins.

Sports on 04/22/2016

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