Blake Snell pitched his first career no-hitter on Friday night, striking out 10 as the San Francisco Giants beat the Cincinnati Reds 3-0.
The reigning NL Cy Young Award winner walked three and threw 114 pitches, 78 for strikes, in his first complete game in 202 major league starts.
The 31-year-old Snell sailed into the ninth inning, striking out Santiago Espinal and inducing a soft come-backer from leadoff man Jonathan India. Then came Elly De La Cruz, who ripped Snell's first pitch, a 97.8-mph fastball, to the right-center field gap, but right-fielder Mike Yastrzemski ran it down and leaped to make the catch . Snell's teammates mobbed him.
Snell was especially effective against the top of Cincinnati's order, striking out India three times, and De La Cruz and Spencer Steer twice each.
Snell recorded the 18th no-hitter in Giants' franchise history and the third in the majors this season. Houston's Ronal Blanco no-hit Toronto on April 1, and San Diego's Dylan Cease pitched a no-hitter against Washington on July 25.
