CLEVELAND — Milwaukee ace Corbin Burnes combined with reliever Josh Hader to pitch baseball's record ninth no-hitter this season, breaking a mark set when pitchers began throwing overhand in 1884 as the Brewers beat the Cleveland Indians 3-0.
Burnes struck out 14 with 115 pitches over eight innings, taking a perfect game into the seventh while overpowering the Tribe, who were no-hit for the third time in 2021. This time it was by Burnes — who has become a Cy Young contender as the Brewers run away with the NL Central — and Hader, one of the game's top closers.
RELATED: More Indians coverage from 3News
Burnes allowed only a seventh-inning walk to Myles Straw before coming out after eight, as the Brewers (88-55) wanted to preserve their best pitcher for the upcoming postseason. Hader more than picked up the slack in the ninth, shutting Cleveland down in order with two strikeouts of his own.
The Indians (69-71) are the first team in MLB history to be no-hit three times in a season, with the first two coming against Carlos Rodón of the Chicago White Sox and Wade Miley of the Cincinnati Reds. They were also held without a hit in a July loss to the Tampa Bay Rays, but that game was only seven innings long as part of a doubleheader, and therefore does not count as an official no-no.
Now losers of seven of their last nine, the sputtering Tribe will start Aaron Civale (10-3, 3.25 ERA) Sunday afternoon in an attempt to stop the bleeding. Elyria native Eric Lauer (5-5, 3.18) will start for Milwaukee.