Cubs' Arrieta Throws No-Hitter, MLB Scores

Team members swarm around Jake Arrieta after he threw the second no-hitter of his career Thursday.

One can only imagine what it was like for Chicago Cubs pitcher Jake Arrieta three years ago Thursday. Playing for the Baltimore Orioles on April 21, 2013, he gave up five runs on five walks in four innings. His ERA after four starts was 6.63. And on the next day, April 22, 2013, he was banished to the minors -- returning for only one more start with the big league club before being traded to the Cubs that July.

Fast-forward three years. He has a Cy Young Award and now two no-hitters after shutting out the Cincinnati Reds in a 16-0 victory on April 21, 2016.

“I envisioned pitching like this even when I had a 5 [ERA] in Baltimore,” Arrieta said after the game. “Regardless of how long it took or what I had to go through to get there.”

Well, he’s arrived, and if last year’s historic second half wasn’t enough proof -- as if it couldn’t be enough -- Arrieta has picked up where he left off, winning his fourth game in four starts in 2016 and lowering his ERA to 0.87. The scary thing is he didn’t even have his best stuff Thursday. Not even close. That came against the Los Angeles Dodgers last August in no-hitter No. 1.

“He was definitely off,” catcher David Ross said. “He was probably off for the first four or five innings.”

But then Arrieta found his groove, using only 18 pitches to get through the sixth and seventh innings. At that point, the Reds were in real trouble.

“We always expect that from Jake,” center fielder Dexter Fowler said.

As much as Arrieta was the storyline, so was Ross. In his 15th and final season in the big leagues, he caught his first no-hitter. Known affectionately as “Grandpa Rossy,” Ross' teammates were as happy for him as they were for Arrieta -- and that includes the pitcher himself. It was Ross who got a Gatorade shower in the dugout and was asked to attend the postgame press conference. But he came to the interview room for another reason. He needed something for his scrapbook.

"I didn't want any questions -- I just want a picture,” Ross joked to reporters.

Ross wanted a picture with Arrieta, who just finished answering questions about a no-hitter in an opposing team’s facility for the second time in 10 regular-season starts. Two men at different points in their careers sat there making sure photographers got a good shot. If his first no-hitter was about the rise of Arrieta as an elite pitcher, the second one might be about the team -- and its cast of characters -- around him.

“My good offense gets overshadowed by a no-hitter,” Ross exclaimed. “I’m kind of mad at him.”

Ross hit a home run and scored three times as the Cubs put up 15 more runs than Arrieta needed, winning for the 12th time this year. In fact, according to ESPN Stats & Information, the last six times the Cubs have scored in the first inning for Arrieta -- they did so twice on Thursday -- they’ve gone on to shut out the opponent. Is it possible he needs only an early run and it’s game over? He’s making it seem that way.

Angels 3, White Sox 2

Jered Weaver received plenty of scrutiny as hip, neck and flexibility problems lowered his fastball velocity to 78 mph during a miserable spring training.

The three-time All-Star still isn't throwing that hard, but he sure was effective in a seven-inning stint on Thursday as the Los Angeles Angels used a two-run homer from Mike Trout to beat the Chicago White Sox 3-2 and close a 10-game trip.

Melky Cabrera's solo homer in the seventh was the lone run off Weaver, who allowed three hits amid masterful command and a mix of pitches that topped at 86 mph.

But Weaver (2-0), apparently still stinging from the criticism he's received, didn't want to talk about it.

"Carlos (Perez) called a great game, Trout hit a homer and Huston (Street) shut the door," Weaver said.

He repeated a variation of that answer four times to all questions, except when asked if he thinks his fastball is improving.

"You guys tell me," he replied.

Thursday, April 21 Scoreboard

Seattle 10, Cleveland 7 (F/10)

Los Angeles Dodgers 2, Atlanta 1 (F/10)

Miami 5, Washington 1

Tampa Bay 12, Boston 8

Minnesota 8, Milwaukee 1

Los Angeles Angels 3, Chicago White Sox 2

Arizona 6, San Francisco 2

Balimore 3, Toronto 2

Oakland 7, New York Yankees 3

Tampa Bay 12, Boston 8

Chicago Cubs 16, Cincinnati 0

Kansas City 4, Detroit 0

Texas 7, Houston 4

Pittsburgh 11, San Diego 1

Friday, April 22 Schedule (All Times Central)

Tampa Bay at New York, 6:05 p.m.

Minnesota at Washington, 6:05 p.m.

Oakland at Toronto, 6:07 p.m.

Cleveland at Detroit, 6:10 p.m.

Chicago at Cincinnati, 6:10 p.m.

New York at Atlanta, 6:35 p.m.

Texas at Chicago, 7:10 p.m.

Philadelphia at Milwaukee, 7:10 p.m.

Boston at Houston, 7:10 p.m.

Baltimore at Kansas City, 7:15 p.m.

Los Angeles at Colorado, 7:40 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Arizona, 8:40 p.m.

Seattle at Los Angeles, 9:05 p.m.

Miami at San Francisco, 9:15 p.m.

St. Louis at San Diego, 9:40 p.m.

Saturday, April 23 Schedule (All Times Central)

Tampa Bay at New York, 12:05 p.m.

Minnesota at Washington, 12:05 p.m.

Oakland at Toronto, 12:07 p.m.

Cleveland at Detroit, 12:10 p.m.

Texas at Chicago, 1:10 p.m.

Boston at Houston, 3:05 p.m.

Philadelphia at Milwaukee, 6:10 p.m.

New York at Atlanta, 6:10 p.m.

Chicago at Cincinnati, 6:10 p.m.

Baltimore at Kansas City, 6:15 p.m.

Los Angeles at Colorado, 7:10 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Arizona, 7:10 p.m.

St. Louis at San Diego, 7:40 p.m.

Seattle at Los Angeles, 8:05 p.m.

Miami at San Francisco, 8:05 p.m.

Sunday, April 24 Schedule (All Times Central)

Tampa Bay at New York, 12:05 p.m.

Oakland at Toronto, 12:07 p.m.

Cleveland at Detroit, 12:10 p.m.

Chicago at Cincinnati, 12:10 p.m.

New York at Atlanta, 12:35 p.m.

Minnesota at Washington, 12:35 p.m.

Texas at Chicago, 1:10 p.m.

Philadelphia at Milwaukee, 1:10 p.m.

Baltimore at Kansas City, 1:15 p.m.

Seattle at Los Angeles, 2:35 p.m.

Miami at San Francisco, 3:05 p.m.

Los Angeles at Colorado, 3:10 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Arizona, 3:10 p.m.

St. Louis at San Diego, 3:40 p.m.

Boston at Houston, 7 p.m.