For the second time in a year and in his career, Jake Arrieta has a no-hitter. On Thursday night, the Cubs’ ace blanked the Reds, striking out six and allowing four walks as Chicago blasted Cincinnati, 16–0, in the young season’s first no-hitter—an outing that cements Arrieta’s place as one of the game’s best starters, if it doesn’t firmly place him at No. 1.
Arrieta, who picked up his first career no-no last August against the Dodgers, needed 119 pitches to take down the Reds for his second. Working primarily with his sinker, the 30-year-old right-hander induced 11 ground balls, relying less on his swing-and-miss stuff—he got just 12 on the night—and instead picking up his outs on balls in play.