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CLEVELAND – In a sometimes difficult season, Corbin Burnes has grasped the story.
The Milwaukee ace teamed up with reliever Josh Hader to pitch the ninth all-time baseball hitting record this season, breaking a mark set when pitchers began throwing overhead in 1884 as the Brewers beat the Cleveland Indians 3-0 Saturday night.
Months after Major League Baseball cracked down on pitching use of illicit foreign substances following a wave of first non-hitters, Burnes cemented 2021 as the no-no season with only the second no-hitter. hitter in Brewers history.
“It was a masterpiece,” said Milwaukee coach Craig Counsell.
Burnes (10-4) struck out 14 hitters with a career-high 115 pitches in eight innings, putting together a perfect game in the seventh while overpowering the Indians, who did not touch for a record third time in 2021. All are in. came with starter Zach Plesac on the mound.
This time around, Cleveland was thwarted by Burnes – who became a competitor to Cy Young as the Brewers run away with NL Central – and Hader, one of the game’s top closingers.
“Everyone would want to keep pitching in this situation, but if there was anyone I would want out there for the ninth, it would be Josh Hader,” said Burnes. “There were no nerves with him. It was more like a done deal when he walked in.”
Right-hander Burnes was in control from the start, striking out 11 of his first 14 hitters on strikes and striking out the first 18 in sequence. After running Myles Straw to start the seventh, the 26-year-old crossed the eighth thanks to a diving catch from center fielder Lorenzo Cain on the Owen Miller liner.
“I was definitely on my horse, ready to go get that one,” Cain said. “You need a little bit of everything to go straight into a no-hitter.”
The Progressive Field crowd booed as Hader entered the ninth grade. He overpowered Oscar Mercado, pulling him out early in the round. Then first baseman Jace Peterson entered foul territory to catch a second out.
Hader put an end to the hitless by beating Straw on a dirt court for his 31st save. The Brewers took to the pitch to share hugs and high-fives with an iconic victory in their runaway season.
“I had to fight pretty hard [with Counsell] for the eighth to come back, so I knew I was out of luck for the ninth, ”Burnes said.
Juan Nieves pitched the Brewers’ previous hitting scorer on April 15, 1987 in Baltimore.
Burnes lowered his ERA to 2.25 and more than doubled his career high for strikeouts with 210 in 152 innings. He competes with Zack Wheeler of Philadelphia and Max Scherzer of the Dodgers for the NL Cy Young Award. This gem will undoubtedly have some influence with voters.
“Corbin was feeling great after the eighth but knowing that you put Josh Hader to finish it played a role in the decision,” said Counsell.
The Brewers improved to a franchise record of 33 out of 0.500 games while reducing their magic number to win the division to eight.
Arizona rookie Tyler Gilbert threw the majors’ most recent hit on Aug. 14, and the Chicago Cubs pitched the only combined effort before on June 24. The other hits this season have been pitched by Joe Musgrove of San Diego (April 9), Carlos Rodon of the Chicago White Sox (April 14), Wade Miley of Cincinnati (May 7), Spencer Turnbull of Detroit (May 18) and Corey Kluber of the Yankees (May 19).
Most of these gems were thrown away before MLB cracked down on the use of sticky foreign substances by pitchers in late June.
“I don’t think anyone is going to be upset about putting a hit in the books,” Burnes said.
Miley and Rodon’s no-hitter were both pitted against the Indians, as was a seven-innings no-hitter from Tampa Bay on July 7 that did not officially count in the MLB record books. Arizona’s Madison Bumgarner also went scoreless in seven innings in Game 2 of a doubles program in Atlanta on April 25.
The Brewers completed this piece of history three days after Minnesota rookie Joe Ryan pulled out the Indians’ first 19 hitters in a 3-0 win at Progressive Field.
Plesac couldn’t figure out that he was on the wrong side of three without a hitter. Before Saturday, Jim Perry was the only starter in baseball history to see his opponent pitch three times in a career before Saturday, according to Elias.
“I don’t even know if that makes sense to me,” Plesac said. “It’s crazy. I don’t know if it’s me or what.”
Acting Indian Director DeMarlo Hale offered no apologies.
“You take care of it, get up and play tomorrow,” he said. “The good thing about non-hitters is that there’s only one loss. I know it’s been three times, but you face it, you move on, you get the hang of it. level of competition you’re playing against and moving on. I don’t ‘I don’t have an answer to that.’
Plesac allowed three runs, two earned, in six innings.
Straw had faced Burnes in the minor leagues but admitted he had little chance against him this late summer evening.
“He dominated,” Straw said. “He’s going to get votes for Cy Young this year I’m sure. Just tip your hat, come back tomorrow and compete again.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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