PHOENIX — St. Louis’ Carlos Martinez has a no-hitter through six innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The two-time All-Star retired the first nine batters he faced, including six on strikeouts. He walked Josh Rojas to lead off the fourth and hit pitcher Caleb Smith with a pitch in the sixth. He’s struck out six and thrown 77 pitches.
Martinez got the final two outs in the sixth inning when Rojas hit a hard liner right at third baseman Nolan Arenado, who caught it and then doubled off Smith at first base. The Diamondbacks have lost 10 straight games.
Martinez is trying to become the seventh pitcher to throw a no-hitter in 2021, even though the season isn’t even one-third through the schedule. Seven no-hitters in a season would tie the record for the most since 1900 and be one shy of the all-time mark set in 1884.
He would joined San Diego’s Joe Musgrove (April 9), Carlos Rodón of the Chicago White Sox (April 9), Baltimore’s John Means (May 5), Detroit’s Spencer Turnbull (May 18) and the New York Yankees’ Corey Kluber (May 19).
In addition, Arizona’s Madison Bumgarner had a seven-inning hitless game in a doubleheader on April 25 that is not recognized as a no-hitter by Major league Baseball.
The Cardinals lead the game 4-0. Tyler O’Neill hit a two-run homer off the center field scoreboard in the second. Arenado hit a run-scoring double in the fifth.
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