Yesterday, Chicago Cubs pitchers Shota Imanaga, Nate Pearson and Porter Hodge combined for a no-hitter in a 12-0 shellacking of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Imanaga, a 31-year-old Japanese southpaw pitched 7 hitless innings with Pearson pitching the 8th and Hodge getting the final three outs in the 9th.
It was the first Cubs no-hitter tossed at Wrigley Field since 1972. In fact, the combined no-hitter came exactly 52 years and 2 days after Milt Pappas no-hit the San Diego Padres. Pappas' no-hitter is remembered for not ending in a celebratory manner as he was an out away from a perfect game when home plate umpire Bruce Froemming called ball four with pinch hitter Larry Stahl at the plate. A fuming Pappas managed to retire pinch hitter Gerry Jestadt to get the no-hitter.
Pappas was actually the second Cubs pitcher to toss a no-hitter at Wrigley in 1972. That April, rookie pitcher Burt Hooton rendered the Philadelphia Phillies hitless at the friendly confines.
But until last night, all Cubs no-hitters thrown since September 1972 took place elsewhere. Actually, the Cubs had a 36-year no-hit drought until Carlos Zambrano no-hit the Houston Astros. Zambrano's no-hitter took place in Milwaukee's Miller Park because of Hurricane Ike.
Jake Arrieta threw not one, but two no-hitters at the height of his success but Cubs fans would not see either in person. Arrieta no-hit the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium during his Cy Young season in 2015 and would no-hit the Cincinnati Reds at the Great American Ballpark the following year.
For the Cubs next no-hitter, we return to Milwaukee where Alec Mills no-hit the Brewers. Neither Cubs nor Brewers fans would witness this bit of history as it took place during the COVID shortened 2020 season.
Our journey then proceeds back to Dodger Stadium where Zach Davies, Ryan Tepera, Andrew Chafin and Craig Kimbrel threw a combined no-hitter against the Dodgers during the 2021 season. It was the Cubs' first combined no-hitter in franchise history with Davies tossing six innings while Tepera, Chafin and Kimbrel each contributed an inning of work.
As for Imanaga, Pearson and Hodge theirs is the first combined no-hitter of the 2024 season and fourth overall. Ronel Blanco of the Houston Astros, Dylan Cease of the San Diego Padres and Blake Snell of the San Francisco Giants have each attained baseball immortality. However, the Cubs trio has also tossed the seventh combined no-hitter in MLB since 2021 including the one which took place during Game 4 of the 2022 World Series when Houston Astros pitchers Cristian Javier, Bryan Abreu, Rafael Montero and Ryan Pressly held the Philadelphia Phillies hitless.
While Imanaga, Pearson and Hodge might never get near another no-hitter again there will be more combined no-hitters to come in MLB.
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