The Cubs' fearsome bullpen combined for the seventh no-hitter in the majors this year, matching the most in a season since 1900, as Chicago blanked the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-0 Thursday night. The Dodgers drew eight walks, getting at least one from each opposing pitcher, but managed no other baserunners.
Zach avies (5-4) issued five walks while scrapping through six spotless innings against the defending World Series champions before being pulled for a pinch-hitter after 94 pitches.
But incredibly, the relievers remained blissfully oblivious to the stakes as Ryan Tepera, Andrew Chafin and Craig Kimbrel went to the mound and preserved a zero they couldn't see, thanks to the position of the Dodger Stadium bullpen.
Tepera and Chafin each walked a batter during their inning on the mound, but Los Angeles couldn't capitalize.
Kimbrel then walked Chris Taylor leading off the ninth, but the ferocious closer struck out Cody Bellinger, Albert Pujols and Smith to finish the Cubs' 17th no-hitter since 1880.
Javier Baez homered in the first inning and Contreras added a two-run shot in the sixth for the Cubs, who happily celebrated the franchise's first no-hitter since last Sept. 13, when Alec Mills blanked Milwaukee.
Contreras was the constant in the combined no-no, and all four pitchers praised his work behind the plate.
Walker Buehler (7-1) took his first loss since Sept. 21, 2019, for the Dodgers despite throwing six innings of five-hit ball. Buehler made it through six innings for the 17th straight start, but lost his streak of 30 straight games overall without a defeat.
The Dodgers hadn't been no-hit since Aug. 30, 2015, when they were blanked in Chavez Ravine by the Cubs' Jake Arrieta - who is scheduled to pitch for Chicago on Friday night. It was the Dodgers' 20th no-hit loss, the most in major league history.
Davies bounced back sharply after yielding a career-high eight runs in his last start against Miami. Those eight runs matched the number he had allowed in his previous six starts combined, and he regained his excellent form at Dodger Stadium.
Davies walked two batters in the first before getting Pujols to ground out. He walked the leadoff batter in the third and fourth, but avoided any other trouble. The fifth inning was his first 1-2-3 frame.
The Dodgers probably got closest to a hit in the first inning when Taylor's line drive to center was caught by Rafael Ortega.
Tepera, Chicago's busiest reliever, walked Gavin Lux with two outs in the seventh, but Austin Barnes lined out to second.
Chafin walked Mookie Betts with one out, but Max Muncy hit a grounder right to first baseman Anthony Rizzo, who stepped on the bag and threw to second for an easy double play.
Buehler took a no-hitter into the eighth inning last Saturday in Arizona, where he tied the Dodgers record for consecutive regular-season starts without a loss. He made it through six innings Thursday for the 15th time this season, but he still has never beaten the Cubs.
Baez followed his 17th homer by cupping his hand to his ear as he returned to the Chicago dugout, getting a loud chorus of jeers along with cheers from the Cubs' sizable fan contingent in Los Angeles. Buehler recovered and stayed out of trouble until the sixth, when Contreras took him deep.
Chicago added another run in the seventh when Jason Heyward singled and scored on a single by pinch-hitter Jake Marisnick, who was hitting for Davies.
