Cubs ace Jake Arrieta showed why he’s arguably second to none on Thursday night in Cincinnati, throwing a no-hitter in a 16-0 romp over the Reds that put him in all-time elite company.
With his second no-hitter, both of them coming on the road, he trails only Nolan Ryan (three) for road no-hitters, joins Ken Holtzman and Larry Corcoran as the only Cubs with two no-hitters and became the fourth reigning Cy Young Award winner to throw a no-hitter the following season.
“This is why he won the Cy Young last year,” Cubs catcher David Ross said. “He’s got the capability of doing that every night. I think mentally he expects to do that. He’s not shocked when he does stuff like that, and rightfully so.”
The margin of victory was the second largest in history for a no-hitter, falling just short of Buffalo’s 18-0 victory over Detroit in 1884. Obviously, Arrieta had plenty of help. Kris Bryant matched a career high with six RBIs, hitting two home runs, including his third career grand slam.
Bryant’s blasts were two of five home runs by the Cubs, but the night belonged to Arrieta, who threw his first career no-hitter 10 starts ago, on Aug. 30 at Dodger Stadium. Only Warren Spahn, who threw two no-no’s five starts apart and, of course, Johnny Vander Meer, who threw back-to-back no-hitters, did it with fewer starts in between. It’s the 15th no-hitter in Cubs franchise history.
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