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Brewers’ Burnes leads way in record-setting combined no-hitter vs Cleveland
Published: Sep 12, 2021 05:38 PM
Milwaukee pitcher Corbin Burnes pitched eight no-hit innings and Josh Hader came in to complete a record-setting combined no-hitter in the Brewers' 3-0 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Saturday.

The ninth no-hitter of the 2021 season is an all-time record, breaking the mark of eight in a single season established in 1884.

Left-hander Burnes reinforced his claim to National League Cy Young Award honors, striking out 14 in the most impressive outing of his outstanding season.

Burnes lost a perfect-game bid in the seventh inning. And with his pitch count up to 115 he was pulled after eight.

But Hader pitched a perfect ninth inning to complete the 16th combined no-hitter in MLB history, and the first since the Chicago Cubs pitching staff posted one against the Dodgers in June.

For Cleveland it meant a ­dubious slice of baseball history: The Indians became the first team to be no-hit three times in a single season.

The Chicago White Sox's Carlos Rodon pitched a no-no in an 8-0 win against the Indians on April 14, and 23 days later, Reds starter Wade Miley no-hit Cleveland in a 3-0 victory.

The victory moved the Brewers a step closer to clinching the National League Central division title.

And even though he was disappointed not to have a chance to get the final three outs and complete a solo no-hitter, Burnes acknowledged he knew why manager Craig Counsell pulled him from the game.

Burnes had taken a perfect game into the seventh inning.

"It was a masterpiece," Counsell said after Burnes struck out 11 of the first 14 batters he faced and retired the first 18 in order.

The 26-year-old walked Myles Straw to start the seventh, and made it through the eighth without surrendering a hit thanks in part to center fielder Lorenzo Cain's diving catch of Owen Miller's liner.

"I was definitely on my horse, ready to go get that one," Cain said. "You need a little bit of everything to go right in a no-hitter."

Hader - who was greeted by boos from fans who wanted to see Burnes continue when he came on in the ninth - struck out Oscar Mercado to open the inning. He retired two more to spark a massive celebration by the Brewers of the second no-hitter in franchise history, and the first since Juan Nieves no-hit the Baltimore Orioles in 1987.