Chicago Cubs right-hander Alec Mills pitched his first career no-hitter in Sunday’s 12-0 victory over the host Milwaukee Brewers.
The 28-year-old Mills (5-3) struck out five and walked three in a 114-pitch effort during his 15th career start.
The no-hitter is the 16th in Cubs’ history and the first since Jake Arrieta turned the trick against the Cincinnati Reds on April 21, 2016.
“It’s kind of crazy,” Mills said. “I don’t even know how to celebrate. Just something that all came together today. Obviously, a memory I will have forever.”
It was the second no-hitter of the season in the major leagues. Chicago White Sox right-hander Lucas Giolito fired a no-hitter against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Aug. 25.
Mills’ pitch count was already at a career-high 103 through eight innings before he was allowed to pitch the ninth. He retired Jacob Nottingham on a foul pop to first baseman Anthony Rizzo, struck out Tyrone Taylor and induced Jace Peterson to ground out to shortstop Javier Baez to end it.
Mills said he knew he hadn’t allowed a hit through six innings. Then he made it through the seventh and could feel the nerves arriving with just six outs to go.
“It didn’t really hit me until after the seventh walking off the mound,” Mills said. “The heartbeat kind of went up a little bit and I had to relax and calm down. I’d say after the seventh is when I really felt it.”
The no-hitter came in Mills’ sixth career victory — he is 5-3 with a 3.93 ERA in 10 appearances (nine starts) this season — and it also called attention to his journey to the big leagues.
Mills was a college walk-on reliever at Tennessee-Martin in 2010 and eventually developed into the staff ace in 2012. He was a 22nd-round draft choice by the Kansas City Royals in 2012. Mills was traded to the Cubs prior to the 2017 season for a minor leaguer.
Now that pitcher who didn’t initially earn a college scholarship will always be mentioned as having thrown a no-hitter in the major leagues. Mills admitted he would have had a hard time digesting this feat occurring when he was at UT Martin.
“I definitely would have told them they were crazy,” Mills said. “It’s kind of surreal how everything has happened. You know, everything happens for a reason and I wouldn’t change any of it. Being a walk-on made me into who I am today.
“They gave me a chance there and other teams have given me a chance and I’m going to keep working to make them right.”
The contest also represented Mills’ first major league complete game and shutout.