Futility: Cleveland Has Been No-Hit Four Times In 2021

Cleveland has played four games this season in which they have had zero hits.

However, MLB's idiotic Commissioner, after proclaiming that doubleheader games would be complete and final after seven innings in 2020 and 2021, now refuses to accept that a no-hitter thrown during one of those complete games is an actual no-hitter. Therefore, the soon-to-be Guardians have been officially no-hit three times this season while in reality they have been no-hit a record four times.

The 1906 Brooklyn Superbas were no-hit three times:

May 1: 0-6 loss to Phillies and Johnny Lush (Brooklyn finished with a rare R-H-E line of 0-0-5)
August 24 (G2): 0-1 lost to Reds and Jake Weimer (7 innings; called for darkness or train)
September 24 (G2): 1-1 tied with Cardinals and Stoney McGlynn (also 7 innings)

Brooklyn was also held to one hit three times that season, including Opening Day: April 12, April 28, and September 25.

Cleveland's four games of futility:

April 14: Carlos Rodón (9-0-0-0-7, 114 (HBP)); White Sox 8-0

May 7: Wade Miley (9-0-0-1-8, 114); Reds 3-0

July 7 (G2):  Collin McHugh (2-0-0-0-3, 27), Josh Fleming (2.2-0-0-1-2, 37), Diego Castillo (0.1-0-0-0-0, 3), Matt Wisler (1-0-0-1-12, 18), Pete Fairbanks (1-0-0-0-1, 12); Rays 4-0

September 11: Corbin Burnes (8-0-0-1-14, 115) and Josh Hader (1-0-0-0-2, 9); Brewers 3-0

Zach Plesac started the first, second, and fourth games for Cleveland (the three nine-inning games). Jim Perry is the only other pitcher to be on the losing end of three no-hitters in his career (one with the 1970 Twins and two with the 1973 Tigers). [Plesac, 0-2 in those games, most certainly deserves those losses for failing to inspire, rally, or provoke his teammates. #KillTheLoss]

The Burnes-Hader no-hitter was the second in Brewers history (since 1970). The first occurred on April 15, 1987: Juan Nieves, against the Orioles. Nieves's catcher that day was Bill Schroeder, who was in the Brewers' broadcast booth for Saturday's no-no.

This game was the Brewers' 12th different start of at least six innings and one or no hits allowed, a single-season record for any AL/NL team since at least 1901.

Burnes (who threw a career-high 115 pitches) was the third pitcher in AL/NL history to be taken out of a game after eight hitless innings, joining Clay Kirby (Padres, July 21, 1970, versus Mets) and Don Wilson (Astros, September 4, 1974, versus Reds).

Burnes is the first Brewers pitcher to strike out 10+ batters while allowing no hits in a single outing. The previous record was held by Hader, who punched out eight Reds in a 2.2-inning save on April 30, 2018.

Milwaukee's Eric Lauer started off Sunday's game with five no-hit innings. Adding in the ninth inning of Friday's contest, that gave the Brewers 15 consecutive no-hit innings.

It was the ninth no-hitter of the 2021 season, topping 1884 for the most in a single MLB season. That is assuming no Negro League season had nine.