Madison Bumgarner took the mound in Atlanta on Sunday afternoon for a game that was scheduled to last seven innings. Bumgarner went the distance for the Arizona Diamondbacks to beat the Braves, 7-0. His official statistics will reflect a victory, a shutout and a complete game — but not the distinctive part of the achievement.
Bumgarner threw a no-hitter. Kind of.
In an effort to speed the proceedings during the coronavirus pandemic, Major League Baseball declared last season that games played as part of a doubleheader would last only seven innings instead of nine. Sunday was the first time since then that a pitcher has tossed a no-hitter in a doubleheader — except it won’t count as one.