It was bound to happen. The Cubs offense has been so good lately that you knew if they ran into a good, hot pitcher they’d probably get stymied.
And that was what happened Thursday afternoon at Nationals Park. It took until two out in the seventh for Cade Cavalli’s no-hit bid to be broken up. Michael Busch’s little flare single into left field did it. But that was the only Cubs hit of the afternoon as they lost the last game of the road trip to the Nats 7-0. I don’t usually put photos of Cubs opponents at the top of recaps, but Cavalli is the story of this game, and so he gets the photo spot. It was the second time this year the Cubs were one-hit — also by the Braves May 12.
The game began quietly. Cavalli and Kevin Gausman both retired the first nine hitters they faced — just the second time this year that had happened.
Gausman got touched up for a run in the fourth on a single by Abimelec Ortiz and RBI double by Dylan Crews. Still, this felt like a game the Cubs could get back into until the Nats exploded for a five-run fifth off Gausman, highlighted by a three-run homer from Ortiz, who looks like a pretty good major-league hitter.
So Gausman has had one good start and one not-so-good as a Cub, and his next outing — presuming the Cubs remain on rotation and don’t add Edward Cabrera back — should be next Tuesday at Wrigley Field against the White Sox.
Once the Nats were up by six, all attention turned to what was at that point a perfect game bid, as Cavalli had retired the first 15 Cubs in order. The perfecto ended when he walked Dansby Swanson leading off the sixth, but the no-hitter was still intact. Could the Cubs potentially get back into the game?
Nope. Michael Conforto hit into a double play and Miguel Amaya struck out, Cavalli’s seventh, so the no-hitter was intact through six innings.
Pete Crow-Armstrong struck out leading off the seventh and Seiya Suzuki flied to right, so seven outs stood between Cavalli and a place in the history books.
Busch took care of that with his single [VIDEO].
Your browser does not support the video tag.And that kept the Cubs’ current no-no-hit streak going (Bluesky link):
That means the Cubs have been no-hit just once in their last 9,628 games dating to Sandy Koufax’s perfect game against them Sept. 9, 1965 at Dodger Stadium. That, of course, was Cole Hamels’ no-hitter against the Cubs at Wrigley Field July 25, 2015, ending their MLB record streak of not being no-hit at 7,920 games, 80 games short of 8,000 and a few weeks short of 50 years. And, of course, three years later Hamels became a Cub.
Aaron Civale relieved Gausman and, as was the case with Javier Assad Wednesday, he saved the rest of the bullpen by finishing the game with 3.1 innings on only 37 pitches, allowing one run. This resets the bullpen well for the upcoming homestand.
As for Cavalli, he was removed after eight innings and just the one hit by Busch. Clayton Beeter finished up for Washington and retired the Cubs 1-2-3 in the ninth to wrap things up.
Fortunately, this offensive blackout only counts as one loss, and the Cubs still had a successful 4-2 road trip. If they keep winning series like this, two of every three the rest of the year, they’d win about 26 games, giving them 97 wins for the year — which would match that 2015 team.
More on Cubs and no-hit streaks from BCB’s JohnW53:
The Cubs’ current streak of 1,707 games without being no-hit is the 86th longest since 1901.
There are 10 longer active streaks. These are the top five, including games by teams that played this afternoon.
4,252: Angels (13th longest; began Sept. 12, 1999)
2,892: Royals (May 20, 2008)
2,416: White Sox (May 4, 2011)
2,264: Twins (May 4, 2012)
2,233: Cardinals (June 2, 2012)The Cubs’ MLB-record streak was 7,920 games, Sept. 10, 1965-July 24, 2015. It is 811 games, 11.4 percent longer, than the second-longest 7,109 by the Reds, June 24, 1971-April 20, 2016. That one was ended by Jake Arrieta, in his second no-hitter.
The Cubs also have the sixth-longest streak ever, 5,412 games, May 3, 1917-June 18, 1952.
The Cubs’ 9,628 games while being no-hit once also is the MLB record.
The Cubs are 3.5 games behind the Brewers in the NL Central after this loss, pending the Brewers game against the Dodgers in Los Angeles tonight. If you’re going to follow that game, it’s at 9:10 p.m. CT and Shane Drohan pitches for Milwaukee against Dodgers right-hander Roki Sasaki.
As for the Cubs, they return to Wrigley Field to open a six-game homestand with a three-game series against the Cardinals. Clay Holmes will make his first start at Wrigley as a Cub, and Matthew Liberatore will go for St. Louis. Game time is 1:20 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Apple TV (how to watch).