Even though the Houston Astros traveled over 1,000 miles to play a home game due to Hurricane Ike.
Even though the Houston Astros traveled over 1,000 miles to play a home game due to Hurricane Ike. Nothing could prepare them for the fury of Carlos Zambrano.
Zambrano became the second pitcher in the majors this season to throw a no-hitter after the Chicago Cubs cruised to a 5-0 triumph over the Houston Astros on Sunday.
The 27-year-old Venezuelan joined Bostons Jon Lester as the only pitchers to throw no-hitters in 2008 while recording the 267th no-hitter in major league history. The no-hitter was the 13th in Cubs history and first since Milt Pappas blanked San Diego, 8-0, on September 2, 1972.
Zambrano (14-5) struck out 10, with his only missteps coming on a walk to Michael Bourn in the fourth and hitting Hunter Pence in the fifth. He retired Humberto Quintero and Jose Castillo on groundouts in the ninth before striking out Darin Erstad on a pitch well outside the strike zone to finish off his run at history.
Zambranos date with history was also one of a kind as it is the first recorded no-hitter in major league history to take place at a neutral site.
In a quasi-home game for the Astros that was moved to Miller Park due to the effects of Ike in Texas, Zambrano needed 110 pitches - 73 for strikes - to hand Houston just its second loss in its last 16 contests.
It feels like were at Wrigley, Zambrano said. Here in Milwaukee, we knew the crowd would be on our side. In the same way, we feel bad for the Astros because of the hurricane and everything happened in Houston. We have to continue to play baseball.
Zambrano was so taken with the partisan crowd that it had him wishing for the unthinkable.
Its fun to come to Miller Park, Zambrano said. I like the mound and its a beautiful ballpark. I wish we could have a new ballpark. To have a clubhouse like that, thats impressive.
Despite only a 24-hour notice by Major League Baseball, the attendance climbed to 23,441 with the crowd decidedly cheering for Chicago, especially as Zambrano continued his run to history.
I was thinking about it the whole game, Zambrano said. I was watching the scoreboard as the innings ended. In the ninth inning, when I came out and the crowd was all crazy, that helped me out a little bit. Thank (goodness) it was the (Nos.) 8-9 and leadoff hitter coming up.
Zambrano (14-5) made his first start since September 2, skipping a turn after incurring inflammation in his rotator cuff. With a wry smile, Cubs manager Lou Piniella suggested that his ace was back.
He had everything going, Piniella said. From the first two pitches of the ballgame, you knew his arm was live and the ball was coming out really easy. It had good movement on it. He located for the most part the whole ballgame, and then he used the split-finger (fastball) to keep people honest.
(Cubs pitching coach Larry Rothschild) has told me the last few times hes thrown, hes gotten sharper and sharper in his bullpen sessions. Quite honestly, Larry was expecting a good game from him.
Zambrano opened the ninth with 99 pitches thrown, nine over the limit that Piniella had set before the game for his recovering ace. But he wasnt about to make the call to pull his pitcher.
I told (Cubs bench coach Alan Trammell), if hes got to come out of the game, you go get him, Im not, Piniella joked.
Humberto Quintero grounded out to short on the first pitch to open the inning before pinch hitter Jose Castillo followed suit with a bouncer to shortstop Ryan Theriot and, with the crowd on its feet, Darin Erstad struck out swinging on a pitch well outside the strike zone to complete Zambranos 110-pitch gem.
I was warming up and I still had some gas in my tank, Zambrano said. I could challenge some people, and thats what I did with Quintero. I think I was throwing 95 (miles per hour) still in the ninth, and that was the key. When you can challenge guys and still throw 95-plus, thats the key to the performance.
The animated Zambrano fell to a knee and pointed skyward after he fanned Erstad and before he embraced a mob by teammates at the pitchers mound.
Im a little confused right now, Zambrano said. I still cant believe it; its a great feeling I cant describe. Throwing a no-hitter is one of the few things in baseball you most enjoy.