Major League Baseball

Cubs' Marcus Stroman blanks MLB-best Rays with one-hit shutout

Published May. 29, 2023 5:07 p.m. ET

Marcus Stroman tossed a one-hit complete-game shutout and took a no-hitter into the seventh inning as the Chicago Cubs beat the Tampa Bay Rays 1-0 on Monday.

Wander Franco had the Rays' only hit of the afternoon, breaking up Stroman's no-hit bid with a bloop single into left field to lead off the seventh inning on Monday. The only runner to reach base prior to Franco was Luke Raley, who was hit by a pitch leading off the third.

Stroman threw eight strikeouts in the victory over the Rays, whose MLB-best record dropped to 39-17 on the season.

After Franco's single, Brandon Lowe walked to give Tampa Bay two runners on with nobody out in the top of the seventh. But Stroman got Randy Arozarena to fly out and Josh Lowe to ground into a double play to end the threat. The veteran right-hander beat his chest in celebration as the Wrigley Field crowd roared while he walked off the mound.

After recording the final out, Stroman flung his hands in the air in celebration of his first complete game shutout since 2014 with the Toronto Blue Jays — against the Cubs.

Cubs ace Marcus Stroman tosses a one-hitter against the league-leading Rays

There have been no no-hitters in the majors so far this season, the first since Major League Baseball introduced a pitch clock. There were a record nine in 2021 and four last year.

Stroman was trying to throw Chicago's first no-hitter since Zach Davies and three relievers combined for one against the Dodgers in Los Angeles on June 24, 2021. The most recent solo no-hitter by a Cubs pitcher was Alec Mills' gem at Milwaukee on Sept. 13, 2020.

The Cubs scored the game's only run when Mike Tauchman came home on a Seyia Suzuki sacrifice fly.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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