MLB/ Imanaga,saff championship games 2 relievers combine for no-hitter, lead Cubs over Pirates 12-0

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

September 5, 2024 at 11:10 JST

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Chicago Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga throws during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Sept. 4, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo)

CHICAGO--Shota Imanaga and two Cubs relievers combined on a no-hitter, leading Chicago over the Pittsburgh Pirates 12-0 on Wednesday night.

Imanaga (12-3), a 31-year-old left-hander in his first season with the Cubs after pitching in Japan for eight seasons, struck out seven and walked two over seven innings. He threw 66 of 95 pitches for strikes.

He needed 25 pitches to get through the second inning. His season high is 103 pitches against St. Louis on June 15. Imanaga has not gotten an out in the eighth inning.

Imanaga agreed in January to a $53 million, four-year contract. Chicago paid a $9,825,000 posting fee to the Yokohama BayStars of Japan’s Central League.

Nate Pearson pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning and Porter Hodge a perfect ninth in the Cubs’ 18th no-hitter, the first since Zach Davies, Ryan Tepera, Andrew Chafin and Craig Kimbrel combined to hold Los Angeles hitless at Dodger Stadium on June 24, 2021.

This was the fourth no-hitter this season after complete-game efforts by Houston’s Ronel Blanco against Toronto on April 1, San Diego’s Dylan Cease at Washington on July 25 and San Francisco’s Blake Snell at Cincinnati on April 2.