The Brewers have provided their fans with exciting postseason runs and showcased some of baseball's greatest players over a history spanning more than 50 years. But the franchise is missing a history of no-hitters.
Founded as the Seattle Pilots in 1969 and moved to Milwaukee in 1970, the Brewers only had one no-hitter to their name entering the 2021 season, as well as a few one-hitters. Milwaukee's first no-hitter took place in 1987, when the franchise was still a member of the American League. The 34-year drought finally came to an end on Sept. 11, 2021, when ace Corbin Burnes and closer Josh Hader threw a combined no-no against the Indians in Cleveland.
MLB.com takes a look back at the Brewers' two no-hitters and one notable close call.
Sept. 11, 2021: Corbin Burnes/Josh Hader
Brewers 3, Indians 0 (no-hitter)
The long-awaited second no-hitter in Brewers history may have been a combined effort, but it was no less impressive than it may have been otherwise. Starter Corbin Burnes threw 115 pitches over eight innings, striking out 14 batters and walking just one, before handing the ball to Josh Hader for the ninth. Hader added two more strikeouts of his own, and their 16 total stands as the third-most in any no-hitter, individual or combined, in AL/NL history.
As impressive as Burnes and Hader were in isolation, like most pitchers, they did get some help from stellar defense -- most notably the incredible catch Lorenzo Cain made to end the eighth inning and preserve the no-no.
April 15, 1987: Juan Nieves
Brewers 7, Orioles 0 (no-hitter)
When Juan Nieves threw a no-hitter against the Orioles in his second season in the Major Leagues, it looked like he had a long and fruitful career ahead of him. Instead, an arm injury limited him to three seasons and ended his career after the 1988 campaign and a 32-25 record.
While Nieves was out of baseball at age 23, his April 1987 no-no lives on. He was the second-youngest pitcher in baseball history to throw a no-hitter, as well as the first Puerto Rican to throw one.
Pitch counts weren't kept in 1987, so there is no record of how many pitches Nieves threw against the Orioles, but he did walk five batters in the only no-hitter in baseball that year. He did need some help from his defense, coming in the form of outfielder Robin Yount, who made a game-saving diving catch in center field to preserve the no-hitter.
CLOSE CALL FOR CC
Aug. 31, 2008: CC Sabathia
Brewers 7, Pirates 0 (one-hitter)
The Brewers acquired Sabathia from the Indians on July 7, 2008, and he was dominant for Milwaukee, finishing the season 11-2 with a 1.65 ERA in 130 2/3 innings, as they chased a postseason run. The most memorable of his 17 starts for the Brewers came on a Sunday afternoon in August at PNC Park.
Sabathia threw a controversial one-hitter against Pittsburgh, the one hit coming on a checked swing by Andy LaRoche in the fifth inning on a ball that rolled fair and was bobbled by Sabathia. The Brewers lost an appeal to Major League Baseball on getting the call overturned.
Still, Sabathia threw his ninth complete game of the 2008 season against the Pirates in the 7-0 win.