Even after they got no-hit by Chicago Cubs pitcher Jake Arrieta and lost the game 16-0 on Thursday night, they still find a way to be optimistic on Twitter.
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The no-hitter was Arrieta’s second in eight months, five of those months encompassing the offseason, and so more accurately his second no-hitter – after the Los Angeles Dodgers on August 30 – in 11 regular-season starts. Former Cy Young Award winners David Price, Max Scherzer and Dallas Keuchel all allowed at least five earned runs in starts on Thursday. He has walked three and struck out six, throwing 103 pitches.
Bryant, who participated in the All-Star week Home Run Derby here in July, hit a two-run homer in the first that landed in the second deck and traveled an estimated 420 feet.
“Arrieta also helped his cause with two singles and the first of three walks that preceded Bryant”s slam.
The no-hitter is just the 15th in Cubs history and the first thrown against the Reds since 1971.
Arrieta has won each of his first four starts, the first Cub to do that since Greg Maddux in 2006.
Rich Hill struck out 10 in six innings and Oakland hit four home runs and to complete a three-game sweep of NY.
His 119-pitch effort made him the first this campaign to pull off the rare gem.
Finnegan started at Wrigley Field on April 11 and didn’t allow a hit until Ross singled with two outs in the seventh.
Cincinnati (8-8) hadn’t had a no-hitter thrown against them since the Phillies’ Rick Wise performed the feat June 23, 1971, at Riverfront Stadium.
Arrieta threw his fastball 79 times, tied for his most fastballs thrown in a game in his career. There’s no better pitcher in baseball-perhaps no better player, period-than Arrieta at the moment.
Manager Joe Maddon, sensing history was at stake, inserted Matt Szczur in left field for defensive purposes in the seventh in place of Jorge Soler.
It took Finnegan 74 pitches to get through four innings.
After pinch hitter Tucker Barnhart popped out to shortstop and Zack Cozart lined hard to center, Arrieta got Eugenio Suarez to fly out to right fielder Jason Heyward for the final out, and the celebration was on around the mound.
It’s also Ross’ final season in the bigs, as he’ll retire at season’s end. “That animal was in control the whole time”.
In all, this was obviously Jake Arrieta’s night, but it was a pretty special night for David Ross as well.
This time, the offense made the outcome a moot point while extending the Cubs’ best start since 1970 at 12-4.
The Washington Nationals could not better that as they dropped to 11-4 with a 5-1 loss to the Miami Marlins, who got a three-run homer from Marcell Ozuna.
As the Cubs made it a romp, there was only one question left: How far could Arrieta go?
Paul Goldschmidt had two hits and two RBIs, Yasmani Tomas hit his third home run of the season and reliever Tyler Wagner pitched five scoreless innings for his first career win as Arizona beat San Francisco. He aggravated it on Wednesday and will be sidelined a couple of days….
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Reds: Jon Moscot (0-0) makes his second start.
