No-hitters come out of nowhere (as we pointed out when the White Sox' Lucas Giolito tossed one just three weeks ago), and that’s what
makes them so much fun. Some of
the greatest pitchers in history never threw a no-hitter and still ended up in
Cooperstown, while their lesser contemporaries caught lightning in a bottle and
then faded into well-deserved obscurity.
ALEC MILLS |
Cubs righthander Alec Mills began his professional career in 2012 and has spent the vast majority of his time since then in the minor leagues. He joined the no-hit club today, in only his 28th major-league game and sixth victory, when he blanked the Milwaukee Brewers 12-0 at Miller Park. Never possessed of overpowering stuff, Mills changed speeds and located his pitches to keep the Brewers off-balance all day and strike a blow against their tenuous postseason hopes.
Mills's gem was the 16th no-hitter in Cubs history and only the 11th since the beginning of the 20th century. Nineteenth-century star Larry Corcoran notched three no-hitters (for the team then known as the White Stockings), while Ken Holtzman and Jake Arrieta each recorded two.
Below is a list of no-hitters by Cubs pitchers over the years:
Date | Pitcher | Opponent | Score |
August 19, 1880 | Larry Corcoran | Boston Red Caps | 6–0 |
September 20, 1882 | Larry Corcoran | Worcester Ruby Legs | 5–0 |
June 27, 1884 | Larry Corcoran | Providence Grays | 6–0 |
July 27, 1885 | John Clarkson | at Providence Grays | 4–0 |
August 21, 1898 | Walter Thornton | Brooklyn Bridegrooms | 2–0 |
August 31, 1915 | Jimmy Lavender | at New York Giants | 2–0 |
May 12, 1955 | Sam Jones | Pittsburgh Pirates | 4–0 |
May 15, 1960 | Don Cardwell | St. Louis Cardinals | 4–0 |
August 19, 1969 | Ken Holtzman | Atlanta Braves | 3–0 |
June 3, 1971 | Ken Holtzman | at Cincinnati Reds | 1–0 |
April 16, 1972 | Burt Hooton | Philadelphia Phillies | 4–0 |
September 2, 1972 | Milt Pappas | San Diego Padres | 8–0 |
September 14, 2008 | Carlos Zambrano | at Houston Astros* | 5–0 |
August 30, 2015 | Jake Arrieta | at Los Angeles Dodgers | 2–0 |
April 21, 2016 | Jake Arrieta | at Cincinnati Reds | 16–0 |
September 13, 2020 | Alec Mills | at Milwaukee Brewers |
12–0 |
* Game was played in Milwaukee due to a hurricane in Houston.
Check out our book Heydays: Great Stories in Chicago Sports on Amazon.
No comments:
Post a Comment