Chicago Cubs vs Los Angeles Dodgers Match Player Stats On Jun 24, 2021

Chicago's Zach Davies, Ryan Tepera, Andrew Chafin and Craig Kimbrel combined on the seventh no-hitter of the major league season, leading the Cubs to a 4-0 win over the host Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday.

It was the 17th no-hitter in Cubs history but the first thrown by more than one pitcher.

The seventh no-hitter of 2021 tied a modern-era record (since 1901). Eight no-hitters were thrown in 1884. It was also the first no-hitter thrown since umpires started checking pitchers for the use of foreign substances to enhance their grip.

Davies (5-4) struck out four in his six-inning outing, but he also walked five and was removed after throwing 94 pitches. Jake Marisnick batted for Davies in the top of the seventh inning and hit an RBI single to give Chicago a 4-0 lead.

Tepera worked around a two-out walk in the seventh. Chafin issued a one-out walk in the eighth but got Max Muncy to ground into an inning-ending double play.

In the ninth, Kimbrel walked the leadoff hitter, Chris Taylor, on four pitches before Cody Bellinger and Albert Pujols both struck out swinging. Pinch hitter Will Smith fanned on three pitches to end the game.

Kimbrel said on the Marquee Sports Network broadcast of participating in a no-hitter, "It feels great. I'm not gonna lie. I had no idea until the last out and everybody came running out. I was just locked into the game and going out there to do my job.

"Everybody did such a great job today. Zach took the ball and went out there and did what we needed him to do. We needed this game today, and there is no better way of doing it than this."

Davies added, "This is an awesome moment. I think the World Series, something like that, probably tops it. but even though it wasn't a solo, being part of history is pretty special."

Though he wanted to remain in the game, he said regarding manager David Ross' decision to lift him, "It worked, I can't complain at all."

Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts, who went 0-for-2 with two walks, said of his team's offense, "I don't think (the at-bats) were very good as a whole today. We mixed in a couple, but as a whole I don't think we had very good at-bats. But there is always two sides, and you definitely have to give the Cubs credit for pitching a great game."

Davies was coming off an outing June 18 against the Miami Marlins in which he gave up eight runs on seven hits over six innings in an eventual 10-2 defeat. In five career starts at Dodger Stadium (34 innings), Davies now has a 1.06 ERA.

The last no-hitter thrown at Dodger Stadium was on Aug. 30, 2015, when the Cubs' Jake Arrieta shut down Los Angeles in a 2-0 victory. That was also the last time the Dodgers were no-hit before Thursday. Arrieta is scheduled to start for the Cubs against the Dodgers on Friday.

The Cubs' most recent no-hitter had been tossed by Alec Mills on the road against the Milwaukee Brewers last Sept. 13. Mills will start Saturday at Dodger Stadium.

The other no-hitters this season were thrown by the Padres' Joe Musgrove (April 9 at the Texas Rangers), the Chicago White Sox's Carlos Rodon (April 14 vs. the Cleveland Indians), the Baltimore Orioles' John Means (May 5 at the Seattle Mariners), the Cincinnati Reds' Wade Miley (May 7 at the Indians), the Detroit Tigers' Spencer Turnbull (May 18 at Seattle) and the New York Yankees' Corey Kluber (May 19 at Texas).

The last time as many as seven no-hitters were thrown in a season was 2015.

Javier Baez's home run in the first inning, his 17th of the season, gave the Cubs a 1-0 lead. Willson Contreras hit a two-run shot in the sixth, his 13th long ball of the season, increasing the gap to 3-0.

Dodgers starter Walker Buehler (7-1) allowed three runs on five hits and two walks while striking out six in six innings. He took a loss for the first time since Sept. 21, 2019, against the Colorado Rockies, ending a 23-start run.

The game was the opener of a four-game series. The Dodgers arrived home Thursday after getting swept in a three-game set at San Diego, having scored seven total runs against the Padres.

--Field Level Media