CHICAGO -- Lucas Giolito pitched the first no-hitter of the pandemic-delayed major-league season, striking out 13 and permitting just one runner in leading the Chicago White Sox over the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-0 on Tuesday night.
With the seats at Guaranteed Rate Field empty, the hollers of his teammates echoed around the ballpark after right fielder Adam Engel extended to catch Erik Gonzalez's slicing drive toward the line for the final out.
"I've been working for this type of game for a while now, and it's really cool that we got it done," Giolito said.
An All-Star last year, the 26-year-old Giolito (3-2) matched his career high for strikeouts set in his previous start against Detroit.
Only a four-pitch walk to Gonzalez leading off the fourth inning got in Giolito's way of perfection. The right-hander threw 101 pitches and made quick work of the Pirates -- Pittsburgh came into the game batting just .229 this season and has the worst record in the majors.
The White Sox rushed toward the mound after the final out in Giolito's first career no-hitter. Giolito hugged catcher James McCann (Arkansas Razorbacks) as the Chicago players joined the celebration.
Giolito was fully aware in the later innings what was at stake.
"After the seventh, six more outs, looking at who I was facing, became very, very, very possible," he said, "and then we were able to get it done."
Giolito said his approach never wavered.
"Just staying with the same, like, mental routine for every single pitch. One pitch at a time. Full focus, full execution, straight through the target," he said.
Giolito pitched the 19th no-hitter in White Sox history and first since Philip Humber threw a perfect game at Seattle in 2012. This was the seventh time the Pirates have been held hitless, previously by Washington's Max Scherzer in 2015.
White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson made a nifty play on a grounder by Bryan Reynolds up the middle in the seventh to preserve the gem, helped by first baseman Jose Abreu's stretch at the bag.
In the ninth, Gonzalez hit a liner that Engel caught on the run at knee-high height.
Giolito improved to 30-28 in his big-league career. He made his debut with Washington in 2016, then was traded after that season to the White Sox in a package for outfielder Adam Eaton.
Giolito threw the first no-hitter at Guaranteed Rate Field since Minnesota's Francisco Liriano did it in 2011.
He went to full counts against just two hitters but retired both before the sixth.
TIGERS 7, CUBS 1 Jonathan Schoop hit a grand slam in a five-run sixth inning as host Detroit beat Chicago. The Tigers have won three of five since a nine-game losing streak.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
MARLINS 4, METS 0 Miguel Rojas' two-run single capped a three-run second inning and four pitchers combined on an eight-hitter to lead visiting Miami past New York in the first game of a doubleheader. It was the Mets' first game since a player and a coach tested positive for covid-19.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
RAYS 4, ORIOLES 2 Tyler Glasnow struck out a career-high 13 over seven innings and host Tampa Bay beat Baltimore. Glasnow (1-1) fanned nine of his final 10 batters. The 6-8 right-hander allowed 2 runs, 5 hits and 1 walk. Hunter Renfroe and Manuel Margot hit back-to-back home runs for the Rays, who have won eight of 10.
INDIANS 4, TWINS 2 Shane Bieber struck out 10 and Francisco Lindor hit a two-run home run to lead host Cleveland past Minnesota. Bieber (6-0) allowed 2 runs and 4 hits in 6 innings as the Indians ended a four-game losing streak to the Twins and pulled within 1 1/2 games of the division leaders.
ASTROS 6-5, ANGELS 3-12 Rookie Cristian Javier threw well into the sixth inning, protecting a big lead and sending host Houston over Los Angeles in the opener of a doubleheader created by the approach of Hurricane Laura. In the second game, Brian Goodwin drove in three runs as Los Angeles snapped a three-game losing streak.
