PHOENIX, Aug. 14 \u2014 Tyler Gilbert, making his first major league start in his fourth major league appearance, threw the third no-hitter in his team\u2019s history, leading the Arizona Diamondbacks<\/a> to a 7\u20130 victory over the San Diego Padres<\/a>. Gilbert became the fourth pitcher in major league history to throw a no-hitter in his first-ever start. He joined Theodore (Ted) Breitenstein (10\/4\/1891 for the St. Louis Browns<\/a> [now the Cardinals]), Bumpus Jones (10\/15\/1892 for the Cincinnati Reds<\/a> in his major league debut), and Bobo Holloman (5\/6\/1953 for the St. Louis Browns<\/a>) as the only pitchers to ever do so \u2014 guys he had never even heard of before this game.<\/p>\n The Diamondbacks turned the bottom of the first into a merry-go-round against Joe Musgrove, who threw the first no-hitter in Padres history earlier this season. Second baseman Josh VanMeter opened the festivities with a double. Center fielder Ketel Marte drove him in with a double of his own and advanced to third when Pavin Smith followed with a single. First baseman Asdrubal Cabrera thought he had a walk on a 3-1 curveball, but plate umpire Scott Barry ruled that it clipped the top of the zone. Cabrera swung at and missed the next pitch, a curveball that broke out of the zone. He angrily yelled at Barry while heading to the dugout before turning around and emphatically pointing while still yelling.<\/p>\n BANG! Gone.<\/p>\n For the eighth time in his career, Cabrera was ejected. He got in Barry\u2019s face and continued jawing, pointing for emphasis in the nose-to-nose discussion. Third base coach Tony Perezchica sprinted over to get Cabrera away from Barry before he did anything rash. Manager Torey Lovullo also hustled out of the dugout to run interference. They got Cabrera out of there. After Lovullo let off some steam, he returned to the dugout without getting tossed himself.<\/p>\n Left fielder David Peralta resumed the hit parade with an RBI single, bringing up Drew Ellis. On 0\u20132, Ellis sent a blast into the left-field bleachers for his first major league home run, a three-run shot. A walk, a foul popup, and a grounder to third later, the inning ended with the Diamondbacks holding a 5\u20130 lead.<\/p>\n Tyler Gilbert walked left fielder Tommy Pham to open the top of the first, but a 4-6-3 double play off the bat of second baseman Adam Frazier \u2014 up next \u2014 wiped out that walk. Third baseman Manny Machado struck out to end the top of the first.<\/p>\n The top of the second was a 1-2-3 inning for Gilbert. Shortstop Jake Cronenworth flied to center before catcher Austin Nola and first baseman Eric Hosmer both grounded to second. The top of the third also was 1-2-3, as right fielder Wil Myers fanned, center fielder Trent Grisham grounded into the overshift, and Musgrove whiffed.<\/p>\n The top of the fourth saw Pham lead off with his second walk. Frazier followed with a hard-hit liner directly to first baseman Pavin Smith, who stepped on the bag to double up Pham. Machado hit another ball hard but close enough to Peralta for him to make a routine play.<\/p>\n The fifth and sixth were also three up, three down innings. Cronenworth and Nola opened the fifth with fly balls to center and right, respectively. Hosmer followed with a laser up the middle. Gilbert, however, snatched it out of the air like an NHL goalie. Myers led off the sixth with a fly to center before Grisham grounded to first with the pitcher covering and pinch-hitter Jake Marisnick flied to left.<\/p>\n Meanwhile the Diamondbacks added to their lead in both the fifth and sixth. Smith led off the bottom of the fifth with a single and scored on a triple to the corner in deep right-center by Josh Rojas, who entered the game after Cabrera\u2019s ejection. A leadoff double by shortstop Nick Ahmed in the bottom of the sixth led to the seventh and final run of the evening. He advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Gilbert \u2014 his second of the game \u2014 and scored on a single by VanMeter.<\/p>\n The seventh inning saw another play that gave the 16,716 in attendance a feeling that something special was in the air. After Pham led off with his third walk of the game, Frazier belted a low rocket toward the left side. Third baseman Drew Ellis dove to his left and caught it, stealing a hit. Machado followed with a popup to first before Cronenworth grounded into a 4-6 force play.<\/p>\n Nola led off the eighth with a deep fly to left. It had a chance to end Gilbert\u2019s bid on a home run, but Peralta made the catch with his back nearly against the wall. Hosmer followed with a grounder to short. Ahmed made a fine play on the run to field it and throw Hosmer out at first. Myers, up next, smashed a deep, towering fly to right-center. Marte made the catch in the shadow of the home run porch in right-center. All three at-bats lasted one pitch, so Gilbert escaped the eighth after the bare-minimum three pitches.<\/p>\n Grisham and pinch-hitter Ha-Seong Kim started the ninth with back-to-back called strikeouts. Kim stayed at the plate to argue briefly before returning to the dugout. Up came Pham, the only Padre to reach base all night. He hit a liner to second that appeared for a split second to be destined to fall for a hit, but there was enough backspin to carry it to Marte, who made the game-ending catch.<\/p>\n Bedlam ensued on the field. The jubilant Diamondbacks, who have been victims of some of the worst luck in recent memory throughout 2021, let out joy that had been waiting for months to emerge. They danced around Gilbert, taking turns hugging him. After celebrating with his teammates, manager, and coaches, Gilbert headed to the gate near the dugout. Waiting for him were his parents, who showed the sense of deep pride that only a parent can give as they each had a turn hugging their son.<\/p>\n This ended one of the most improbable no-hitters in major league history. A minor league Rule Five draft pick \u2014 someone who worked as an electrician in the summer of 2020 to make ends meet when there was no minor league season \u2014 had thrown a no-hitter against a formidable lineup that is still in the Wild Card hunt.<\/p>\nDiamondbacks Take Big Lead over Padres in First Inning<\/h3>\n
Mastery of Tyler Gilbert<\/h3>\n
Diamondbacks Pad Their Lead<\/h3>\n
The Final Three Frames<\/h3>\n
Diamondbacks, Gilbert Celebrate Improbable Win over Padres<\/h3>\n