MILWAUKEE (AP) — Chicago Cubs rookie right-hander Ben Brown held Milwaukee without a hit through the first seven innings before the Brewers’ Sal Frelick delivered a one-out single up the middle off reliever Hayden Wesneski in the eighth.
Brown threw 93 pitches and recorded 10 strikeouts — both career highs — while making his 13th career appearance and sixth start. The only base runners he allowed came on a pair of fifth-inning walks.
Cubs center fielder Cody Bellinger had preserved the no-hitter — as well as Chicago’s 1-0 lead — by reaching over the wall in right-center to rob Willy Adames of a homer with one out in the seventh.
Brown then struck out Jake Bauers to end the inning before giving way to Wesneski, who struck out Joey Ortiz to open the eighth before Frelick came through.
Brown hadn’t worked more than six innings or thrown more than 89 pitches in any of his previous outings.
The only run of the game has come on Michael Busch’s leadoff homer against Freddy Peralta in the third inning.
Brown didn’t allow a single base runner until Bauers drew a one-out walk and Sal Frelick got a two-out walk in the fifth. Jackson Chourio grounded out to end the threat.
Before Bellinger’s big catch of Adames’ drive, the closest the Brewers came to a hit was when Christian Yelich ended the fourth inning with a fly ball that right fielder Mike Tauchman caught on the warning track.
The Cubs’ last no-hitter came on June 24, 2021, when Zach Davies, Ryan Tepera, Andrew Chafin and Craig Kimbrel combined on a 4-0 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers. One year earlier, Chicago’s Alec Mills threw a no-hitter in a 12-0 triumph at Milwaukee while making his 15th career start.
Brown’s sparkling performance continues the Brewers’ run of futility against Cubs starting pitchers. The Brewers haven’t scored a single run in 32 1/3 innings against Cubs starters this season. Milwaukee still entered Tuesday having split the first four matchups in the season series by delivering against Chicago’s bullpen.
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