PITTSBURGH – With an immaculate inning on the line, Cubs rookie Hayden Wesneski went back to his slider down and away. Pirates catcher Jason Delay swung over it, securing Wesneski’s place in the club’s record books.
In just his fourth major-league outing, he threw the fifth immaculate inning on record from a Cubs pitcher. It was the first since LaTroy Hawkins’ in 2004 against the Marlins. Lynn McGlothen (1979), Bruce Sutter (1977 and Milt Pappas (1971) are the only other Cubs pitchers known to have thrown an immaculate inning, according to team historian Ed Hartig.
In the Cubs’ 3-2 win against the Pirates Thursday, Wesneski achieved the feat by striking out Jack Suwinski, Zack Collins and Delay in the fifth inning, on nine straight strikes.